Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 E A have becomeastapleofCana- with roots intheUnitedStates secretary tothejusticeministerallhaveopinionsaboutfurtherregulating hateandharmfulspeechonline. Heritage MinisterStevenGuilbeault,left,ofInfrastructure Catherine McKenna,GreenPartyMPPaulManly, NDPMPCharlieAngus,andArifVirani, parliamentary media, asfederal Liberalsprepare to intervene Hate andparanoia aboundinpolitical social News THIRTY-SECOND YEAR, NO.1799 around hate and harmful speech BY MIKE LAPOINTE BY PETER MAZEREEUW works, but Parliamentarians wary regulation of social media in the ‘ have grown impatient’: News briefing policy health & COVID-19 Michael pp. 23-33 noia, andconspiracy theories xpressions ofhate andpara - Harris looks tosetdown rules s thefederal government p.12

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N ews they areneo-Nazis. Never vote pedophiles. politicians toNazis, orLiberals to Hill Times that “Canadians have Émard-Verdun, Que.)toldThe Minister (LaSalle- “Reject theright-wingfor p a p er Continued onpage36 Continued onpage 22 p.14 measure of racism for Indigenous peoples is the Inequitableoutcomes health MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8,2021$5.00 T all Canadianswho want tobe Agency ofCanada hassaidthat in history. The Public Health largest massinoculation program December. This isthe country’s COVID-19 vaccinations inmid- symbolic ofthat risk,” hesaid. nerable, andthevaccinations are governments tobepoliticallyvul- to lookgoodaplatform for from aplatform forgovernments Hill Timesview withThe. for NanosResearch, inaninter founder andchiefdata scientist ingly impatient,” saidNikNanos, Canadians arebecomingincreas- ability withthevaccine, because now becominga potentialli- for incumbentgovernments, is once aslam-dunkpoliticalwin insiders. vaccine rollout, say somepolitical tient aboutinterruptionsinthe are growing increasinglyimpa- become a “liability” asCanadians the nextelection, butitcouldnow ity government intoamajorityin position toconvert theirminor have puttheLiberals intoa ming upvoter supportthat could seen asacriticalfactorindrum- News insiders some political Liberals, say liability’ for to ‘potential ‘slam dunk’ slips from response Pandemic BY ABBAS RANA BY ABBAS Canadians startedtoreceive “The pandemicisshifting “The pandemic, which was COVID-19 was untilrecently he government’s handlingof Continued onpage 35 p. 9 LeMay Rose p.9 - -

2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES

Conservative moron (or a swooning school girl or a com- Leader Erin munist) for reporting what he says.” O’Toole, Ms. Delacourt added she takes such pictured comments in stride. “It is interesting/disturb- on Feb. 4, ing to observe who gets so whipped up to Heard on the Hill now has a write these letters to strangers. I don’t get former NDP such letters from women or young people or candidate folks with non-[White Anglo-Saxon Protes- by Palak Mangat who is part tant] names (perhaps because they’ve been of his party. told they won’t be taken seriously if they get The Hill Times emotional about politics?),” she added. photograph by Andrew Meade Longtime Hill ‘Looking out for reporter and columnist Susan Delacourt, each other’: Bruce The news comes as Conservative Lead- pictured in er Erin O’Toole looks to frame his party as 2017, says one that sits “squarely in the centre” of the the reaction political spectrum. when she writes Anderson enlists local As reported here last week, the Con- about the prime servative Party green-lit a former Liberal minister is health minister from Prince Edward Island ‘inevitable and who had served under two Liberal pre- kind of sad.’ restaurants to miers, to run under the party’s banner in The Hill Times the next election. photograph by At the time of his 2019 defeat, Mr. Patel Andrew Meade told local media he planned to run again. offer meals to shelters Archaeologists dig up remnants A longtime Hill reporter, columnist, and Longtime author, Ms. Delacourt said she ultimately public affairs of yesteryear’s Centre Block brushes off such letters: “If you’re looking commentator Last week marked 105 years since Cen- for me, I’ll be here at my computer, send- Bruce Anderson, tre Block, excluding the Library of Parlia- ing trash letters to the trash.” By the way, left, says his chats ment, burned down in February 1916. Prime Minister Trudeau, or so the people with Infrastructure According to a Senate webpage, more who work in the PMO claim, liked the Minister Catherine than a century later, archeologists with Facebook post. McKenna and Centrus last summer discovered artifacts of other community a bygone era during excavation work: the members helped limestone foundation of the Victoria Tower. Sloan part of group calling for inspire a new end of COVID-19 lockdowns volunteer initiative Some local, federal, and provincial to help out people conservative politicians are putting their in need during the names behind a cause calling for the end of pandemic. The Hill COVID-19 lockdowns. Times photographs Liberty Coalition said last by Andrew Meade week that the “end the lockdowns caucus” and Jake Wright was formed to push “formal challenges” to existing COVID policies “with a specific emphasis on ending governments’ use of n an effort to band together and help A website will be launched soon to ac- province-wide lockdowns and stay-at- Ihard-hit shelters amid the pandemic, cept donations from the public, which will home orders.” Workers found old ventilation shafts and the longtime public affairs consultant, pollster, go through the Shepherds of Good Hope Those who make up the caucus are limestone foundation of the Victoria Tower, and Ottawa resident Bruce Anderson has webpage. People will be able to claim tax former Conservative MP , who which date back to the 1916 fire, on the pulled together a volunteer initiative with credits for their contributions. now sits as an Independent after he was excavation site, pictured in December 2020, local restauranteurs. Other businesses helping are Whales- turfed from caucus last month; PPC Leader of Centre Block last summer. The Hill Times “There are people in the community bone, Wild Oat Bakery, Farinella, and Lu- and former Conservative MP Maxime Ber- who are frustrated with life in the pan- ciano Foods, who will help push out pizza photograph by Andrew Meade nier; former Progressive Conservative MPP demic, but otherwise are healthy and lunches, sandwich meals, and breakfast for , , who is now an financially okay. I’m in that category,” he muffins to the shelters. Mr. Anderson said Found near the old tower’s foundation Independent; Perth East councillor Daryl told The Hill Times last week. “I’m some- he hopes to begin flowing out meals this by where the pillars propped it up, workers Herlick; and Centre Wellington councillor body who’s travelled a lot all my life, but week and into March, though an “end date” also came across ventilation shafts. Steven VanLeeuwen. I’ve been in the community non-stop for 12 has not yet been set, as it will depend on After burning down in the 1916 fire, The group, which is not a registered months now, and, like a lot of people, I’m community need and fundraising. By the engineers were forced to tear down Centre non-profit, runs social media campaigns more aware of the value of people in the by, The Hill Times is also supporting this Block a few months later. Four years later, and has in the past pushed for the reopen- community looking out for each other.” initiative. the Centre Block reopened after recon- ing of churches in Ontario. Mr. Anderson, head of Abacus Data struction, with new limestone interior walls It bills itself as a “national network of polling firm, has been helping raise money Ex-NDP hopeful now a to prevent any future fires. clergymen, elected officials, small business for food and labour so “generous-minded Derek Mes, a structural project manager owners, legal experts, and other concerned folks” from local restaurants can cook and Conservative member for the modern rehabilitation efforts, said all citizens.” A former federal NDP candidate in the deliver meals to shelters. The plan was the ruins will need to be cleaned up this time In a Feb. 4 release, it called into ques- 2019 election shared last week he has be- about five days in the making, after he because they stand in the way of reaching tion evidence that has led to lockdowns, come a member of the Conservative Party. learned Ottawa homeless shelters were go- the bedrock, which “will need to be accessed which it claimed has caused “more harm Jigar Patel, who won 28 per cent of the ing to stop accepting new people because to build the Visitor Welcome Centre.” than the virus and must be brought to an vote in Regina-Lewvan, Sask., for the NDP of outbreaks at their sites. The Centre Block’s Visitor Welcome Cen- end.” in 2019, second to the Conservatives’ War- In his chats with community members, tre will also provide an underground link [email protected] ren Steinley, who won 52 per cent, made including Infrastructure Minister Cath- between the West Block and the East Block. The Hill Times erine McKenna, who represents Ottawa the announcement in a Facebook post. Centre, Mr. Anderson said the reception to “Unfortunately the NDP of [late former the idea immediately looked “promising.” leader] Jack Layton does not exist any- Delacourt fends off expected CORRECTION: “People want to support local small more. For [the] last few years, I continued Trudeau trash talkers The Hill Times, Feb. 1 issue businesses and they want to do it because to toil as a dedicated and loyal BUT an Veteran Star columnist Susan Re: “Trudeau needs to move quickly they understand the connectedness that we UNHAPPY soldier,” he wrote. Delacourt offered a glimpse into her to deny any pension or remuneration to have with each other, in a way that maybe Mr. Patel said the change was pre- writing process (and fallout) last month, former disgraced GG,” (The Hill Times, we didn’t completely understand before cipitated by “ill treatment of [the] party’s sharing in a Facebook post that a 40-min- Feb. 1, by Sheila Copps.) This column the pandemic,” he said. long-term local leadership, loyal local ute phone chat with Prime Minister Justin incorrectly reported that current Small Mr. Anderson, a former Globe and Mail workers, and local volunteers,” and a “total Trudeau helped her produce three separate Business, Export Promotion and Trade columnist and for years a pundit on CBC disrespect for ’s short and stories. Minister , who previously The National’s ‘At Issue’ Panel, is also long-term overall interests.” Citing an “experienced-based predic- worked as the prime minister’s ap- the founding partner of Spark Advocacy, He also cited the federal NDP’s support of tion,” Ms. Delacourt said she expected to be pointments secretary in the PMO, was which will help get the word out and en- the minority governing Liberals as another “inundated with mail from angry old white responsible for vetting Julie Payette courage people to donate. Over the years, reason for the switch. The party has helped men” over the next two days. back in 2017, which is incorrect. Ms. Ng Mr. Anderson has been a strategic adviser Canadians stave off election threats posed “It’s inevitable and kind of sad. They see had taken a leave of absence from the to both the federal Liberals and Progres- by the Liberals in the past, most recently last the word ‘Trudeau’ in a story and immedi- PMO to run for the Liberal nomination sive Conservatives, and is a partner in two fall, and often finds itself holding the balance ately run to their computers to hammer out in Markham-Thornhill, Ont. Hillary of the restaurants taking part: North and of power in the minority Parliament. (with their fists, I picture it) some vicious Leftick was responsible for vetting the Navy and Gia Cantina in the Glebe. The Mr. Patel said he is also a member of the message,” she wrote. “The basic formula is former GG. The Hill Times apologizes entire Anderson extended family is well- provincial Saskatchewan Party now, which the same: the PM is an idiot (or gay or a for this mistake. known in the world of federal politics. is currently headed by Premier Scott Moe. communist or all of the above) and I am a B:10.38" T:10.38" S:10.38"

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Project: Q1 National Expansion File built at: 100% 1" = 1" Print Scale: None Writer: None Account: PREPRESS Publication: The Hill Times Client: Prepress: Comments: BL_COR_N2796-14_NationalExpansion_10.38x13.5 Leo Burnett, 175 Bloor Street East, North Tower, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON M4W 3R9 416.925.5997 4 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES News

said that he’s taking a page out of O’Toole’s pivot to centre, the playbook of former Ontario PC premier Bill Davis and trying to make the federal Conservatives a pragmatic, moderate, and a fis- cally conservative party. There’s Sloan’s expulsion, and Kenney’s no path to victory for the Con- servatives besides “getting closer to the centre,” said Mr. Nanos, adding that Mr. Sloan’s expulsion tanking popularity could help from the caucus has not hurt the Conservative leader, at least so far, in public opinion polls. “He’s trying to position himself win out West, say as a pragmatic Conservative,” said Mr. Nanos, founder and chief data scientist for Nanos Research. “Any Conservative that is criti- Conservative political insiders cizing Erin O’Toole for not being right-wing enough should perhaps shake themselves awake and wonder whether they would prefer Conservative Harper. A Mainstreet poll, released to have as prime ‘Getting closer to the Leader Erin last month, suggested that if an minister or Erin O’Toole. So, the O'Toole is putting election were to happen now, the reality is that all the federal party centre’ is the only his stamp on opposition New Democrats would leaders are imperfect. There are Lib- path to victory for the the party by handily defeat the UCP that won a erals that think that Justin Trudeau moving closer landslide majority in 2019. is too progressive. So, for those Conservatives, says to the political Mr. Kenney’s government’s Conservatives, they have to weigh centre, but some popularity would plunge ever the benefits of being a potential pollster Nik Nanos. of his MPs and further if the RCMP filed any government, as opposed to splitting long-time party charges in relation to their ongo- the vote, and ensuring that Justin members are ing investigation into a so-called Trudeau remains prime minister.” BY ABBAS RANA unhappy with “kamikaze” campaign allegedly The Conservative Party won this realignment waged against Mr. Kenney’s UCP most ridings in with very rin O’Toole’s pivot to the effort. The Hill leadership election rival Brian comfortable margins. Strategical- Epolitical centre, Derek Sloan’s Times photograph Jean, a former federal Conserva- ly speaking, Mr. Nanos said, it’s expulsion from the caucus, and by Andrew Meade tive MP. Potentially this could highly unlikely that some Conser- ’s falling polling fig- implicate some senior provincial vatives choosing to vote for the ures are all going to contribute to and federal Conservatives who Maverick Party would do much a significant bump up for Western is on quality, not quantity. Also, followers on it,” Mr. Sloan, now supported Mr. Kenney in the 2017 damage to the Conservatives. Canada’s upstart Maverick Party, Mr. Hill said that the Mavericks an Independent MP, told The provincial leadership election. He conceded, however, that it which could win a few seats in are an upstart party, constrained Hill Times last week. “My email The fraud investigation that com- might put the four ridings—Cal- the Western provinces in the next by limited resources and still in list of Conservative supporters menced in 2019 is being led by a gary Centre, Skyview, election, say Conservative po- the building process, lacking the is maybe, you know, it’s tens special prosecutor from Ontario, Edmonton Centre, and Edmonton litical insiders and the Maverick proper infrastructure required for of thousands. It might be 40, or and the Mounties have inter- Mill Woods—in play for the Liber- interim leader. an established party. As the next 50,000. I haven’t checked lately. viewed hundreds of Albertans, als, who won those ridings in “If he [Mr. O’Toole] continues federal election will be the first So I don’t have everybody’s email including a significant number in 2015 but lost all four to the Con- to do what he has been doing one in which they will be fielding address that’s on my Facebook Edmonton, for this investigation. servatives in the 2019 election. since August, which is clearly candidates, Mr. Hill said he would page, necessarily. But I would Mr. Nanos said Mr. O’Toole’s attempting to appease central be happy if the Mavericks can say there’s over 100,000 people at policy adjustments might help the Canadian voters to the detriment win a handful of seats. least that follow me fairly closely Conservatives win more seats in of Westerners, then it has a huge Since becoming party leader based on my social media.” Ontario, the leader’s home prov- impact on our future success as in August, Mr. O’Toole (Durham, Some senior Conservatives ince and home to one-third of the Maverick,” said Jay Hill, interim Ont.) has been trying to expand interviewed for this article said House of Commons’ seats. With Leader of the Maverick Party, in his party’s base by reaching out that Mr. Sloan’s expulsion from the 121 of the 338 seats in the House, an interview with The Hill Times. to ethnic communities, union caucus will hurt the party in rural Ontario plays a key role in the Up until now, the Maverick members, the LGBTQ community, ridings, but mostly the effect will be outcome of every federal election. Party has been planning on and has identified himself as pro- felt in ridings won by close margins. In 2019, the Conservatives won fielding candidates in 49 strong choice. He has also committed to In the 2019 election, there were 47 36 of the 121 seats, the Liberals 79, Conservative ridings in Western reducing Canada’s greenhouse ridings that were decided by a razor and the NDP carried six seats. In Canada where the Conservatives gas emissions to 30 per cent below thin margin of five per cent vote or the 2011 election, when the Conser- won with very wide margins. 2005 levels by 2030 as laid out in less. Of these, nine were decided by vatives won a majority government, Of the 49 ridings the Maverick the Paris climate accord. a margin of 500 votes or less. Jay Hill, former Conservative MP, now there were 106 seats in Ontario. At Party is planning on targeting All these policy adjustments “They could stay home and just interim leader of the Maverick Party, the time, the Tories won 73 seats, the next time around, 30 are located have led some long-time party be uninspired,” said the source. pictured at a Manning Networking NDP 22 and the Liberals 11. in Alberta, nine in Saskatchewan, members and caucus members to “If you’ve got blue collar populist- Conference in 2012 in Ottawa. In Five-term Conservative MP and five each in question why Mr. O’Toole ran on type voters figuring they don’t nominating candidates for the next (Simcoe North, and Manitoba. the slogan of “true blue Conserva- have a party to vote for, they’re election, Mr. Hill said, he’s focusing Ont.) told The Hill Times that the The Maverick Party is using tive” but now is trying to recreate just going to sit it out. …There are on quality, not quantity. The Hill entire Conservative caucus is this strategy to avoid a vote split “a new PC Party.” Some are even a lot of seats where a few hundred Times file photograph by Jake Wright united behind Mr. O’Toole and between the two right of centre going as far as to assuming that votes here and a few hundred his policies. He said that the new parties that would give an open- the party will lose the next elec- votes there could make a differ- Some long-time veteran leader is trying to put together a ing to the left-of-centre parties tion, and are already looking at ence. Those voters provide a lot of Conservative political insiders winning coalition, which is not a to win more seats. But last week, potential supporters for the next the volunteers and when you are predicted that if there were to be a surprise as every new leader strat- following political developments leadership election, according to in a close seat that goes by two, byelection in Alberta, the Maver- egizes for the next election, and in favour of the Maverick Party, some veteran Conservatives. three, four hundred votes, it’s your ick Party would win. They com- Mr. O’Toole is doing the same. Mr. Hill was not as committed Mr. O’Toole recently expelled volunteers that can bring people pared the current federal political “It’s certainly not a surprise to this strategy, leaving open the controversial Conservative MP home to personal connections.” situation in Alberta to when Debo- that the party as a whole has to possibility of running candidates Derek Sloan (Hastings-Lennox Alberta Premier Jason Ken- rah Grey became the first Reform look at finding, as it always has to in other ridings as well. and Addington, Ont.) from the ney’s unpopularity is also a cause Party MP by winning a byelection find, a way to put together a coali- “Nothing’s final, we’re talking caucus, arguing his former of concern for the Conservatives, in 1989. They also said that the tion of supporters from across the about politics,” said Mr. Hill with leadership rival was engaged in a as Alberta is the bedrock of the next election could be the stepping country, always with the regional a chuckle. “There’s nothing final, “pattern of destructive behaviour” Conservative base, home to 34 stone for the Maverick Party, one differences of opinion and the sort that’s why you keep calling me which had become a distraction federal ridings. The Conservatives in which they win a few seats and of the natural sort of divides that every few months … Currently, to for the party. won 33 of the 34 seats in the last then win big in the election after. happen,” said Mr. Stanton, who is answer your question, no, we’re Mr. Sloan has a significant election. Before getting elected “Things are changing in not seeking re-election in the next still proceeding with the same following among right-of-centre as the Alberta premier in April Alberta,” said one Conservative federal election. “So, I would say, strategy of only running where and pro-life party members, many 2019, Mr. Kenney represented political insider. “I can feel it, I within our Conservative movement Conservatives won by wide mar- of whom will likely either vote for the federal riding of Calgary can feel the ground shifting.” nationally, it’s always been one of gins. … But down the road, call a party other than the Conserva- Midnapore—and its predecessor Pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos the biggest jobs of the leader of our me in three months or six months, tives, or will not show up to vote Calgary Southeast—as an MP for Research told The Hill Times party to be able to knit that very and let’s see where we’re at.” on election day at all. about two decades between 1997 that Mr. O’Toole is trying to put delicate fabric together.” In fielding candidates for the “I can tell you like my Face- and 2016, including eight years as together a winning coalition and [email protected] next election, he said, his focus book page has over 70,000 a cabinet minister under Stephen putting his stamp on the party. He The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 5 Opinion A free virtual event Once vaccines get presented by: rolling, that’s the moment to trigger an election

funding announcement last fall, she would Voters are always happier know that one-half of the $440-million in- vested in the Covax vaccine was intended in the spring and the for Canadian vaccine use. And when Canadian lives are at risk, it economic fallout won’t yet seems strange for a Canadian politician to be felt. deny the vaccine to her own country. Similar criticism was reflected in some international media reports, which accused Online Canada of being greedy as one of the few developed countries tapping into the Co- vax vaccine. While the world needs a global strategy, all politics is still local. And Paul will not Harm get a lot of support for attacking the Liber- als’ desire to protect Canadians. The government is also facing a long- term economic meltdown as province by province, businesses are forced to shutter, Sheila Copps Protecting and citizens are required to stay home in Copps’ Corner lockdown. Liberals delivered a death blow to the airline industry by asking them to shut rime Minister Justin Trudeau has to down flights to the Caribbean and Mexico Pkeep saying that he does not want an in a popular, but misguided effort to stop Canadian election. Forcing the country into a vote in the spread of the virus. the middle of a pandemic may be seen as By all accounts, air travel was respon- an impolitic move. sible for little more than one per cent of However, the three provinces that have the COVID transmission, but that did not gone to the polls during this pandemic stop the government from introducing a Democracy have all been rewarded with majority punitive hotel quarantine for any citizen governments. returning from abroad after next week. So those who say the calling of a This requirement has zero pandemic value, COVID election would cost votes are as it supplements a COVID PCR test before wrong. Sure, there would be a couple of anyone gets on a plane and after they get days of grumbling at the beginning of in the Age off. It also requires those who have been the campaign. But very quickly, pundits vaccinated to quarantine. and politicians would start debating the And even though the viral mutations big issues facing Canadians at the mo- came from the United Kingdom, Brazil, ment. and South , none of these destina- Economic and health uncertainty are tions have been shut down. of Social the obvious themes that need to be ad- The move was largely intended to dressed. keep people from travelling during spring Thus far, these are both issues where break and it worked. But the airlines the opposition parties have not been able have also laid off thousands and Air to secure much traction. Canada shut down Rouge last week. Pro- Media The Conservatives have been hitting fessor Fred Lazar, of the Schulich School hard at pandemic mismanagement. With of Business at , said travel Pfizer delaying their promised deliveries, is being unfairly targeted in the pan- and provinces adding their criticism to the demic fight. “They are doing it to cater rollout, the government has suffered some to the vast majority of Canadians that Thursday February 11 political damage. However, that will be have a holier than thou attitude toward forgotten as soon as the rollout returns at travel.” Full disclosure, I am one of those the end of February. shameful snowbirds who left Canada for These hiccups are happening around southern climes, despite the best advice 1pm-2:15pm EST the world, and Canadians are not alone in of my government. the challenge of securing and delivering But even if the move did not make Register now at friends.ca/onlineharm vaccines to needy citizens. health sense, it was very popular, and But most Canadians will not hold that managed to distract attention from vaccine against the government once the election is rollout problems. FEATURED PANELISTS: called. Instead, they may attack the opposi- Some Canadian routes, cancelled dur- tion for being offside in a world pandemic ing COVID, will never return, exacerbating situation. regional isolation. Last week Green Party Leader Annamie Meanwhile, once the vaccine gets Paul tried to carve out her own COVID rolling, there will be a collective sigh of space, accusing the government of being relief. That is the moment to trigger an a bad global citizen because it tapped into election. Voters are always happier in the a previously contracted number of vac- spring and the economic fallout won’t yet cines from Covax. Paul said the Canadian be felt. government should not have access to a Most Canadians will reward the Liber- vaccine that was developed primarily to als for taming the COVID beast. MP MP MP assist poorer countries. Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien- But the Green Party leader won’t get era cabinet minister and a former deputy much support on that one. If she had prime minister. read the fine print of the Canadian Covax The Hill Times 6 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES News As pandemic brings federal government’s role into focus, parties reel in donors

That parties had to change tack in their efforts may have actually ended up boosting their year- end bottom line, because it forced them to double down on more cost-effective The pandemic hasn't completely dampened enthusiasm among the supporters of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc fundraising appeals. Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP Leader , and new Green Party Leader Annamie Paul. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

BY BEATRICE PAEZ at $1.4-million, and the Bloc at not the time to pull away from Conservative Party Leader Fear of the alternative can also $961,396. our donors, and that we were Erin O’Toole (Durham, Ont.) has serve to motivate people to do- he pandemic appears to have That parties had to change going to continue to engage them done just that. For example, he nate, said Kevin Bosch, vice-pres- Tcreated an unlikely opening tack in their efforts may have through the phone program,” he held two ticketed virtual fundrais- ident of public affairs at Hill and for parties to reel in donors, with actually ended up boosting their said. “I think that that has really ers on Jan. 18, one in the morning Knowlton Strategies and former homebound Canadians of all year-end bottom line. With big- proven to be the right decision. A and another in the evening, and Liberal staffer. He pointed to how political stripes more willing to ticket, in-person fundraisers and phone-fundraising program isn’t did the same on Dec. 21, 2020, Liberals have been able to tap hear from parties and to engage rallies off the table, many parties just about donations. It’s about when he hosted two teleconfer- into supporters’ concerns about politically, say politicos. doubled down on the use of more connecting with our members ences, according to Elections the influence of social conserva- “There’s a general phenom- cost-effective fundraising drives, and donors; it’s about talking to Canada’s registry for regulated tives within the Conservative enon that is lifting all boats, in such as email appeals, phone them, engaging them, hearing fundraising events. One of the Party and Mr. O’Toole’s political a way. Voters are generally a banks, virtual town halls, and their thoughts on what’s going on, Jan. 18 fundraisers involved sup- history. To many Liberal support- more captive audience this year teleconferences. what they want to see.” porters from Ontario, while the ers, given that Mr. O’Toole was because of the pandemic. They’re Virtual events and other pan- He said the party registered a guests in the other one were all a cabinet minister under then- collectively spending more time demic-friendly fundraising drives dip in donations in the first few from British Columbia. (Parties prime minister , in front of screens, not doing as can not only be run on shoestring months of the pandemic, but the have to disclose event details, he still embodies a return to the many social things. That makes budgets, which means more mon- effort that went into speaking including a list of guests, for Harper years, said Mr. Bosch. them more likely to pay atten- ey in the bank for the parties, but with supporters appears to have fundraisers with an entry cost of “I think a lot of Liberals would tion to what parties are doing,” they also don’t impose significant paid off, giving the party its best more than $200.) say, ‘Well, no, I don’t I don’t want said Sébastien Dallaire, senior costs—both in time and money— fourth quarter outside of an elec- A request for comment from that. So I’m going to put my vice-president at Ipsos . on people to participate. tion year in half a decade. (The the Conservative Party was not money where my mouth is, and “They’re more likely to see mes- Braeden Caley, senior direc- NDP steadily drew in more dol- returned by deadline. give money to my party,’ ” he said. saging from political parties or tor of communications with the lars as the year progressed, post- For the Liberals, one of the various organizations talking Liberal Party, said the party ing $963,923 in the first quarter most successful appeals in De- about political parties.” temporarily paused all fundrais- and ending it with $2.5-million.) Spectre of an election, cember was an email blast that Mr. Dallaire added that the ing appeals for 40 days early “I think the conversations we said Mr. O’Toole was following pandemic, with the massive on in the pandemic and ramped were having with people laid the issue-based appeals, fear the lead of his predecessor An- amounts of money that’s been up efforts in the last months of foundation for future success. driven donations drew Scheer (Regina-Qu’Appelle, pumped into the economy to the year. The party “sensitively People were happy to hear from Last year, particularly the last Sask.) in engaging in divisive stave off mass unemployment and reintroduced those approaches us. They wanted to talk about the stretch, was also punctuated by politics because of his leader- keep businesses liquid, has also when it was appropriate to do so,” issues,” he said. “So when we went election speculation. An election ship campaign slogan “take back brought into the focus the role he told The Hill Times. “Q4 was a to speak to them again, those who at any time is always a possibility Canada” and decision to grant an of government, for better or for chance really to test out all sorts were in a slightly better position under a minority, but more so as interview to True North Initiative, worse. That’s giving parties grist of new virtual means of reaching than they were at the beginning this Parliament approaches the a right-wing website that some for engaging with their support- out to supporters and building [of the year], understood the two-year mark for when govern- argue has an anti-immigrant bent, ers. support, and the response was value of the $10 or $20 or $30, ments typically fall. according to Mr. Caley. “[People] actually see and feel phenomenal.” that they were going to get.” “Parties are using that nar- “That particular week had the impact government interven- Mr. Caley pointed to two The other upside of having vir- rative to reach out to members seen grassroots fundraising sup- tions have in their lives every day, virtual events, including one on tual events and phone drives be the to ensure the party is in a good port increase by more than 100 whether it’s through programs Dec. 2 with both Prime Minister default mode of fundraising amid place to fight,” said Elliot Hughes, per cent. A significant driver of because they received money, but Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) the pandemic is political leaders senior consultant at Summa that was the message that noted also just because of public health and his second-in-command, and their staff don’t have to stretch Strategies and former senior how Erin O’Toole’s Conserva- directives and guidelines,” he Finance Minister Chrystia Free- themselves thin trying to pop into Liberal aide. “A lot of it is actually tives have all too frequently been said. “You can’t go shop, you can’t land (University-Rosedale, Ont.), different parts of the country to driven by the idea of ‘donate to catering to the far right,” he said. go watch a movie. You have to which, he said, was the largest raise funds and build their party’s us, so we can fund an election, so “Canadians have no appetite for behave in different ways. And this web-based event in the party’s profile, said Cameron Holmstrom we can achieve all of these things extreme far-right politics. And is all mandated by the govern- history. He was unable to share of Bluesky Strategy Group. and continue to go towards these when Erin O’Toole Conservatives ment, so the government becomes specific figures on attendance, but “To do proper fundraising, I goals.’ ” have catered to it, there’s been a impossible to ignore.” noted that there were more than can do a lot online. We’re now Mike Van Soelen, manag- very strong response from Cana- By various measures, most 6,000 questions submitted from seeing people running full events ing principal at Navigator and dians who want politics and lead- parties posted relatively strong every corner of the country. on Zoom. They can sit in their Conservative strategist, agreed ership that bring people together, finishes, with the Conservatives, “There are people tuning in boardroom in Ottawa, or they that the election was likely a mo- not more divisive politics.” Liberals, and the Bloc Québécois from every single province or ter- can be anywhere in the country. tivator among donors, even in a Last month, Mr. O’Toole is- ending the year breaking their ritory, which shows you that it’s You’re starting to see how this pandemic. “It’s much easier to go sued a statement that responded fourth-quarter fundraising re- possible to reach large numbers can build itself out and allow for to supporters with talk of a pend- to Liberals’ accusations that he’s cords. The NDP ended the year in of Canadians from every corner greater outreach,” he said. ing election to motivate them, pandered to the far right. He de- the black, paying off its $7-million of the country in a low-barrier It’s now more possible for par- to send money to the parties to nounced that faction and said the campaign debt, while the Greens way,” he added. “That event had ties to pencil in multiple events bolster their war chest,” he said. party has no place for them. “The overall raised more than they had no cost whatsoever.” with the leader in a day or over a “It’s one of the prime motivators Conservatives are a moderate, before outside of an election year, Jesse Calvert, deputy national week to speak with people from of fundraising that has resonated pragmatic, mainstream party—as according to CBC. director of the NDP, said the party different parts of the country, he across all party lines. old as Confederation—that sits The Conservatives had the made a conscious decision to added, without expending the For Conservatives, in par- squarely in the centre of Canadi- biggest haul, raising $7.7-million continue to engage with donors same amount of effort it would’ve ticular, he noted, 2020 gave the an politics,” his Jan. 18 statement in the last quarter, followed by at the onset of the pandemic. “We taken to travel there and back party a leadership race and read. the Liberals at $6.5-million, the made a decision at the very begin- and to organize an event in per- eventually a new leader to rally [email protected] NDP at $2.5-million, the Greens ning of the pandemic that it was son. behind. The Hill Times Hotel = S Food = SI 15,000 Health & PersonalChildcare Care == SSI 12,000 I 5,000 Gas & Parking = SI 4,000 TOTAL = S I 2,000 I 38,000

A child facing illness shouldn’t lead to a family facing bankruptcy.

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We’re expanding and building more Ronald McDonald Houses but can’t do it alone. Help us, help families stay close.

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EDITOR Kate Malloy MANAGING EDITOR Charelle Evelyn PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY BY PUBLISHERS Anne Marie Creskey, DEPUTY EDITORS Peter Mazereeuw, Laura Ryckewaert HILL TIMES PUBLISHING INC. Jim Creskey, Leslie Dickson, Ross Dickson ASSISTANT DEPUTY EDITOR Abbas Rana 246 Queen Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E4 GENERAL MANAGER, CFO Andrew Morrow DIGITAL EDITOR Beatrice Paez

Editorial Letters to the Editor MPs shouldn’t feel Civil society calls on political leaders to protect and unsafe doing their jobs strengthen Canada’s democracy arliament Hill has seen a number of ing Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Psecurity breaches over the years. In April Garner, then a cabinet minister, over social e are shocked and saddened by the Public fears around the pandemic, 1989, an armed man hijacked a Greyhound media. Conservative MP has Wrecent political violence in Washing- uncertainty over climate change, anger at bus, drove it to Parliament Hill, and sat there said she was shocked at the level of harass- ton, D.C., and unnerved by the prospect of racism, and resentment of income inequal- on the front lawn with hostages inside the ment, threats and trolling when she was first similar events occurring in Canada. ity are merging at the same time bad-faith bus for six hours before the incident ended elected the same year. What happened in the United States was actors are seeking to exploit emotions and without any casualties. In November 1995, an According to The , in the not a spontaneous, isolated act; rather, it foster divisions for power and profit. intruder armed with a jackknife slipped into first half of 2020, the RCMP recorded 130 was the culmination of a political discourse It is vitally important that our leaders 24 Sussex Drive while the prime minister and threats filed against the prime minister and that has become unmoored from reality and distinguish between fact and falsehood, his wife slept. Aline Chrétien woke up, locked his cabinet, 30 per cent more than the same detached from decency. Now former U.S. respect and ridicule, partisanship and the bedroom, woke up Jean Chrétien, who time frame in 2019. In July, a man tried to president Donald Trump may have incited a poisonous politics. grabbed an Inuit carving for protection and smash through the gates of Rideau Hall with riot, but enablers of ignorance and excusers We implore Prime Minister Justin called the police. No one was hurt. In 1997, a four loaded firearms and faces 21 charges, of hate created the conditions for it. Trudeau, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, man tried to crash his Jeep into the doors of including threatening the prime minister. This is a lesson Canada must heed. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Centre Block after driving it up the steps of More recently, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Our country is not immune to such Blanchet, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, the Parliament Buildings. In 2002, a grenade was harassed on Wellington Street by a man danger. In fact, Canadians are tragically and Green Party Leader Annamie Paul to: was delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office. trying to make a citizen’s arrest. familiar with acts of terror inspired by denounce and take policy steps to eradicate After 9/11 and the 2014 shooting on Par- Last fall, the House’s Board of Internal conspiracy theories and hateful words. hate however, and wherever, it may appear; liament Hill, everything changed. Security is Economy strengthened security measures The 2017 mass shooting at the Islamic reject and hold accountable individuals and much tighter on Parliament Hill today and for MPs while they’re outside of the Par- Cultural Centre of Québec City is one ex- groups benefiting from online harassment MPs now want tighter security off the Hill. liamentary Precinct. It will boost residen- ample. The 2018 van attack in Toronto is and the spread of dangerous misinforma- NDP MP Charlie Angus told The Hill tial security with home assessments and another. Last summer’s armed intrusion tion—including by those who may support Times last week that he was the victim of a recommendations for MPs, costing nearly onto the grounds of Rideau Hall could you; commit to respecting science, civic two-month online stalking campaign last $4.3-million in one-time expenses and have been one too. norms, and democratic institutions; and summer. “It actually undermines our ability $778,524 annually. It also decided to provide Nor have we evaded the ecosystem of promote, and participate in, responsible to represent people democratically, that’s MPs with a mobile device capable of trig- far-right media websites, gun lobbies, and citizenship and civil discourse. Democracy what I realized,” he said. gering an alert to a third-party monitoring anti-government think tanks that have is too fragile, human rights too precious, and Female and racialized politicians, in centre when activated—at a one-time cost proven effective at sowing distrust in Canada’s possibility too great not to act. particular, are more frequently subjected of $203,220, and $313,021 annually. It will public institutions and between citizens Bernie Farber, chair of the Canadian to threats, harassment, and insults. When also implement a new records management in America. Anti-Hate Network was appointed system to improve communications with Two recent studies underscore the ur- Lorraine Whitman, president of the the Senate in 2016, she upgraded security security partners—a $1-million one-time gency of the moment: Canada is among the Native Women’s Association of Canada at her home because of racist cost, and then $130,000 ongoing per year, global leaders in online right-wing extrem- Michael Byers, professor and Canada and hateful threats. Infrastructure Minister according to The Hill Times’ report. ism and home to an alarming spread of mis- Research Chair in Global Politics and Catherine McKenna’s constituency office It’s unfortunate these security measures information about the COVID-19 pandemic. International Law, UBC was vandalized in August 2020. Liberal MP are needed, but the security of our MPs As representatives of Canadian civil Anne Lagacé Dowson, journalist said she spent $6,000 on mak- should be taken very seriously, on and society, we call on our political leaders to Mohamad Fakih, founder and CEO of ing her home more secure after facing rape off the Hill, and MPs shouldn’t be afraid confront these threats to our discourse, The Fakih Foundation and death threats for publicly supporting to speak up about it. We cannot allow our and ultimately, our democracy, with cour- (See the full list of signatories at www. gun control changes. A Toronto man was elected officials to feel intimidated by threats age and conviction. civildialogue.ca) convicted in 2015 of threatening and harass- of violence. Coverage of decision to cancel Keystone XL pipeline doesn’t tell climate change story, says reader atching the Canadian media, particu- evidence for that. Nor is there evidence Wlarly the CBC, cover U.S. President that Keystone is in Canada’s national Joe Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone interest. In fact, a recent report from the XL pipeline has been deeply disappointing. Canada Energy Regulator showed that First, few reporters clearly state that the Keystone XL and Trans Mountain Mr. Biden made this decision because the pipelines don’t fit within Canada’s climate experts in his administration determined promises and don’t make economic sense. the project was out of step with the Paris Last, almost no attention has been Climate Agreement’s goal of limiting paid to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or global temperature rise to a safe level. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s failure to Instead, the decision has been framed as deliver real support for workers. In 2019, political. However, by following up the Mr. Trudeau promised a Just Transition Act Keystone rejection by suspending oil and to support workers, but now, nearly two gas leasing on federal lands and promis- years later, the bill hasn’t gone anywhere. ing sweeping climate action Mr. Biden Mr. Kenney and Mr. Trudeau are spending has demonstrated that this is more than billions of public dollars on pipelines and just a political gesture. next to nothing on a transition. The Cana- Second, the media in Canada continue dian media should hold them to account. to frame Keystone XL as a pipeline with Hubert Mimeault broad public support. There is no current Ottawa, Ont.

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Joyce is a measure of the racism in the Echaquan, the system itself, a measure of the 37-year-old system’s refusal to change. Atikamekw Two weeks ago, Dr. John Hard- woman who ing, British Columbia’s medical died on Sept. officer for the North Shore, Sea 28, 2020, to Sky, Sunshine Coast, Powell while in the River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola, hospital in was supposed to administer Joliette, Que., COVID-19 vaccines in Nuxalk is now the Nation in British Columbia, but subject of two instead got his feelings hurt in investigations. some miscommunication with Before local health leaders, and so he left she died, with more than two-thirds of the Echaquan vaccine in his possession after recorded a calling the vaccine “a gift” to the Facebook Live local First Nation. He left under video in which a police escort. What a power she was heard trip for the public health officer screaming who is supposed to “first, do no in pain and harm.” But don’t let the police off health-care the hook here, they have some workers explaining to do as well. insulting her. Is racism in health care just a Photograph British Columbia problem? No, courtesy of and it’s probably worse in other Facebook parts of the country. One wonders why the media don’t cover it in other parts of the country. What is truly horrifying is that probably half of all health-care workers have seen something rac- ist, and yet the racism continues: health workers who saw an Indig- enous patient receiving less care than others, or being called an al- coholic and disrespected, or being In Plain Sight, discriminated against on the racist Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond and Harmony Addressing belief that they are non-compliers Indigenous- or less capable, or being yelled Johnson recently led a team to review specific at with racist slurs. These are the complaints of racism in health care in British Racism and most pervasive forms of racism Discrimination in health, according to the British Columbia, and the resulting report should in B.C. Health Columbia report, and every single Care, the 228- one is a direct assault on patient be mandatory reading for all Canadians. But page report safety. Perhaps half of all health- commissioned care leaders have seen something racism against Indigenous people happens by the B.C. and have not acted professionally government, to stop it, and so are complicit in across Canada, not just in B.C. and led by the racism. . Mary Ellen Racism is a disease. But unlike Turpel-Lafond other diseases it does not reside and Harmony in the body of the Indigenous Johnson, patient trying to find care in a was released hospital today. It is under the on Nov. 30, control of others who intention- 2020. Rose ally and unintentionally use it as LeMay says a weapon against their patients. all Canadians And just like a disease, it is not should read eradicated with superficial ac- the report. tions; it is eradicated with deep Rose LeMay Image handout and lasting change inside. Stories, Myths, and Truths Until that time when change occurs in health care, Indigenous parents will continue to have con- nstitutional racism is strong versations with our kids, about Iin many sectors, but it’s life how to stay safe in the hospital, threatening in Canadian health about how to avoid getting hurt care. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond by health care. and Harmony Johnson recently What will be Canada’s game- led a team to review complaints courtesy and respect when ac- or discrimination directed to changer, the tipping point to force of racism in health care in Brit- Racism is a cessing health care, and 24 per Indigenous patients, and almost change in health care, to stamp out ish Columbia, and the resulting “ cent that health-care workers half of non-Indigenous [health- racism? Call it abuse. Call it a crime. report, released on Nov. 30, 2020, disease. But unlike ‘always’ act as though they are care workers] acknowledged its Rose LeMay is Tlingit from the should be mandatory reading for dishonest. ‘Cold’ or ‘harsh’ treat- existence in their organizations. West Coast and the CEO of the Canadians: In Plain Sight, Ad- other diseases it ment of Indigenous patients by … Approximately 13 per cent of Indigenous Reconciliation Group. dressing Indigenous-specific Rac- health-care workers was reported non-racialized health-care work- She writes twice a month about ism and Discrimination in B.C. does not reside in 10 per cent of submissions to ers made at least one racially an- Indigenous inclusion and recon- Health Care. More than 9,000 the review, describing interac- tagonistic comment in the survey.” ciliation. In Tlingit worldview, the submissions were recorded and a in the body of the tions lacking in “compassion, Obviously racism reduces the stories are the knowledge system, stark picture of daily and regular Indigenous patient caring or humanity.” quality of health care provided, sometimes told through myth racism has been documented. “Over one-third of all non- or leads to the denial of health and sometimes contradicting the “Only 28 per cent of Indig- trying to find care Indigenous [health-care workers] care, a denial of care in the face myths told by others. But always enous respondents reported that reported that they had personally of need. The inequitable health with at least some truth. they are ‘always’ treated with in a hospital today. witnessed interpersonal racism outcomes for Indigenous peoples The Hill Times 10 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion

the week before Election Day, a time when advocacy groups will be silenced. O’Toole shouldn’t worry about So, my point is, O’Toole shouldn’t be losing any sleep over The Protecting Canada Project’s ad campaign. third-party sound and fury Yet, this is not to say, third-par- ty political ad campaigns aimed at influencing the electorate are made headlines when it launched That’s because Canada has an necessarily a total waste of time Whenever you hear a ‘third-party’ advocacy a well-funded ad campaign aimed “election gag law” on the books and money. at ensuring Conservative Party which imposes extremely strict As a matter of fact, it’s quite group grandly and dramatically claim it’s leader Erin O’Toole never be- limits on how much money third- possible third parties run such comes . party advocacy groups, like The media campaigns for ideological launching a media campaign to either elect or Certainly, the group’s TV ads Protecting Canada Project, can goals that go beyond electoral defeat a particular political party or candidate, have some real bite. spend on electoral ads. politics. Indeed, the ads scarily claim In fact, this probably explains For example, even though take it with a mountain-sized grain of salt. that if the Conservatives form the why The Protecting Canada Proj- they’d never admit it, perhaps next government, they will reck- ect is airing its TV ads right now, The Protecting Canada Project lessly and callously slash health even though a federal election ad campaign is actually less Okay, that’s just my Shake- care spending, even as the COVID might still be months, or even about defeating O’Toole and more spearian-style way of saying, pandemic rages on. years, down the road. about mobilizing and energizing whenever you hear a “third-party” Just in case anyone misses the And yes, this means the group Canada’s progressive voting base. advocacy group grandly and point, the ad’s tagline chillingly can avoid the gag law’s restric- Certainly, its stridently anti- dramatically claim it’s launching and bluntly declares, O’Toole and tions, but it also means their ad O’Toole messaging could have a media campaign to either elect the Conservatives “are hazardous campaign won’t be effective when the effect of riling up left-wing or defeat a particular political to your health — at the worst pos- it comes to damaging O’Toole’s activists and partisans, who, thus party or candidate, take it with a sible time.” electoral chances. agitated, might be more likely to mountain-sized grain of salt. The group’s spokesman, Ian After all, its highly doubtful make donations to progressive True, such third-party ad Wayne, told the media, “This “everyday Canadians” will actu- causes. Gerry Nicholls campaigns can sometimes seem launch is just the beginning, we ally retain any memory of the Heck, they might even make impressive on paper, but the real- Post Partisan Pundit will continue to grow our cam- group’s anti-O’Toole propaganda donations to The Protecting ity is, thanks to Canada’s strict paign and get our messages to when they eventually go to cast Canada Project. political financing laws, it’s virtu- more and more everyday Cana- their ballots months or years So perhaps, all things con- AKVILLE, ONT.—Every ally impossible for non-political dians.” from now. sidered, the “sound and fury” Oonce in a while, the theatre of parties to have any real influence So, sound and fury abound. Keep in mind, when it comes emanating from third parties Canadian politics features lesser on electoral results. Yet, what Wayne and his group to electoral advertising most vot- actually does sometimes signify political actors who strut and fret I’m bringing this up because a must surely realize is that once ers have extremely short memo- something. their hour upon the stage, full of newly emerged third-party group a federal election is officially ries, which is why political parties Gerry Nicholls is a communi- sound and fury, signifying noth- with the clunky name, “The Pro- underway, their message will be typically bombard the air waves cations consultant. ing. tecting Canada Project,” recently all but stifled. with their most effective ads only The Hill Times

Canadian Heritage Minister , pictured Feb. Canada’s broadcasters 3, 2020, on the Hill, is the minister responsible for the Broadcasting Act and any amendments to need a fair deal to it, including Bill C-10, which is only at first reading in the House. The Hill Times photograph by compete in new reality Andrew Meade

very little net benefit to Canada’s squeeze gets placed on an area that the greatest risk of disappearing. It Creating a more equitable system means economy. should be of greatest importance at is hard to imagine foreign stream- untying Canadian broadcasters’ hands, and The combined effect of these this moment in history: local news. ing services delivering the news at foreign tech giants’ unchecked In an era of misinformation—of- 6 p.m. every night in Lethbridge, freeing them to adapt and compete. If we entry into our system has created ten distributed by these same foreign Regina, Québec City, and Moncton. an existential crisis for the broad- tech platforms—it is critical that we “Levelling the playing field” for fail to do so, there will inevitably be fewer casting sector. A study published identify ways to continue to support Canadian broadcasters does not last summer estimates that local local news voices that reflect the real- simply mean applying antiquated domestic voices and choices for Canadians. TV and radio broadcasters stood ity of the communities in which they broadcasting rules to digital play- to lose more than $1-billion in live, and reflect a fair and accurate ers. It should not mean creating While the competitive land- revenues between 2020 and 2022. vision of Canada back to Canadians. an additional funding for certain scape shifted dramatically and These changes are structural, The need for local informa- classes of creators beyond the re- broadcasters worked to evolve, not cyclical. The trends have tion has never more pertinent quired expenditures from which their substantial regulatory bur- been clear for some time, and than over the past year. While they already benefit. den did not adjust. This is why the the economic viability of local COVID-19 is a global pandemic, We must ensure streamers sector welcomed Bill C-10, An Act broadcasters won’t improve if we the disease had localized impacts. who share Canadian audiences to Amend the Broadcasting Act. simply wait to weather the storm. The 700 broadcasters in more also share equitably in Canadian The Broadcasting Act is 30 Structural challenges require than 300 local markets were es- programming support obliga- years old, and it shows. The regu- structural solutions. sential in communicating the lat- tions, and that private broadcast- latory system presumed there are Broadcasters do not want to est public health knowledge that ers’ share of these obligations are Kevin Desjardins limited ways for content to reach turn back the clock. We want to citizens needed to know. reduced to reflect the new reality. Opinion Canadians, and created obliga- continue to evolve and compete News programming has tra- And we need to ensure that the tions for those granted that right. in this new media marketplace, ditionally been given short shrift public broadcaster’s mandate is Clearly, those limitations are but we cannot do it with one hand by the regulatory regime when distinct and complementary to his is a critical moment for gone. A multitude of video and tied behind our backs. measuring expenditures. Priority the role of private broadcasters. TCanada’s private broadcast- audio streaming services are now This is why legislative and regu- is given to transferring resources Creating a more equitable system ers, which calls for urgent legisla- readily available, and Canadians latory changes that Bill C-10 will en- from broadcasters to external pro- means untying Canadian broadcast- tive and regulatory change. have eagerly taken up their offer- act are critical. The current system ducers, to “tell Canadian stories.” ers’ hands, and freeing them to adapt Over the past decade, broadcast- ings as they have launched. has been rendered inequitable and If we are to preserve Canada’s and compete. If we fail to do so, there ers within Canada’s regulated system At the same time, the adver- unsustainable for our domestic cultural sovereignty, it is critical to will inevitably be fewer domestic have seen a historic shift. Unregu- tising sector has fundamentally broadcasters, and delays in creating recognize broadcasters’ own news voices and choices for Canadians. lated foreign competitors moved in shifted. Foreign online advertis- a modern regulatory framework and information producers are Kevin Desjardins is president unabated, fragmenting our audiences ing platforms scoop up 80 per will only serve foreign players. creating vital cultural content, and of the Canadian Association of and destabilizing the advertising mar- cent of those dollars and shift When resources become scarce telling Canadian stories. Arguably, Broadcasters. ket that sustained our businesses. revenues out of the country, with and obligations remain the same, the the most important stories are at The Hill Times creates a world miracle in poverty reduction

Before I came to Canada for my posting in 2019, many friends and improving social security. China has also introduced a list of top 10 recommended Arxan to me, which is a small city in the foothills of Greater poverty alleviation projects such as poverty alleviation through e-commerce, Khingan Range in north China. They told me that the scenery there was as tourism, and photovoltaic power generation projects. With such policies, beautiful as that of Banff in the Canadian Rockies and was quite worth a China’s poverty elimination actions have benefited a wide range of Chinese visit. It is a pity that I was unable to make a trip due to a tight schedule. people including minorities. By the end of 2019, over 2.92 million people in northwest China’s Xinjiang autonomous region have shaken off poverty. In After I arrived in Canada, I looked up some materials about Arxan out of Xizang autonomous region in southwest China, all 74 poor counties have curiosity and found this small city was indeed unusual with beautiful lakes, been removed from the poverty list, and the net income per year per capita forests and snowcapped mountains, as well as vast grasslands and the increased from 1,499 yuan at the end of 2015 to 9,328 yuan in 2019, which largest group of hot springs in the world. Unlike Banff, Arxan had remained a means eliminating absolute poverty in history for the first time. In Guangxi key national-level poverty-stricken county by 2011. There was no adequate autonomous region in southwest China, a provincial-level region with the food or clothing for locals, let alone any tourism industry. Thanks to the largest population of minorities in China, all the 54 poor counties have been national strategy of poverty alleviation through tourism development, the removed from the poverty list, and all the people of the Zhuang ethnic group tourism industry in Arxan was promoted, helping the poorer people blaze have been lifted from poverty. a trail full of hope featuring “tourism plus poverty alleviation”. The tourism revenue of Arxan reached 5.27 billion yuan (about $813.16 million) in 2018, China has made great contributions to the world poverty alleviation increasing by 280 percent compared to 2013. In 2019, Arxan was officially process. China has the highest number of people moving out of poverty removed from the list of national-level poverty-stricken counties. worldwide, accounting for over 70 percent of the global poverty alleviation effort. It established the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, Arxan is merely an epitome of the miraculous poverty alleviation of China. South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, and made solid progress in Over the past 70 years, the Chinese government has lifted 850 million people cooperation projects under such frameworks as the Pilot Project of Poverty out of poverty. During the four decades of reform and opening-up alone, Reduction Cooperation in East Asia and the China-Africa Poverty Reduction 750 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Since the 18th National and People’s Welfare Plan. China has helped establish 24 agricultural Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government technology demonstration centers in Africa, benefiting more than 500,000 has given top priority to the battle against poverty in its governance and local people. organized the world’s biggest and toughest poverty-relief battle in human history. Since 2012, an average of more than ten million people, equivalent Poverty eradication is a challenge for all and the top priority of the 2030 to the population of a medium-sized European country, had been lifted out Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the United Nations of poverty each year. In November 2020, China accomplished its poverty Development Programme (UNDP), the world population living in extreme alleviation target of the new era on schedule, with all 832 poor counties poverty will exceed 1 billion by 2030 due to COVID-19. Thus, realizing global removed from poverty, eradicating absolute poverty and overall regional poverty eradication is still an ongoing battle. China and Canada have a lot to poverty, and achieving the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda share in eradicating poverty, promoting gender equality and tackling climate for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. change. It is our common aspiration to pursue a better life. Let’s join hands to make greater contributions to world poverty alleviation and strive for a China takes “targeted poverty alleviation” as a basic strategy, which is also better future for mankind. a key feature of its poverty alleviation effort. The poverty alleviation plans are tailored to different groups of people, which include increasing production, Cong Peiwu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Canada relocating the poor, ecological compensation, strengthening education

For more information please visit http://ca.china-embassy.org/eng/

Photo credit: 1. Camel Hump Mountain at sunset, Arxan.(Photo by Yang Xiaoye) 2. Xizang farmers celebrate China’s first national harvest in Lhundrup County, Lhasa, capital city of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomus Region on Sept. 23, 2018. The day coincides with Autumnal Equinox, one of the 24 solar terms of the Chinese Lunar calendar which usually falls between Sept. 22 and 24, during the country’s harvest season. This is the first national festival designated for farmers in China, who make the majority of the country’s population. (Photo by Xinhua/Chogo) 3. A farmer dries dendrobium flowers, a kind of medicinal herb, in Pingtan Village in the city of Chishui, Guizhou Province, on May 4, 2019. The local government promotes the integrated development of agriculture and tourism. Farmers are encouraged to plant dendrobium flowers to secure a prosperous future for themselves and their villages. (Photo by Xinhua/ Wang Changyu) 12 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion Trump claims another victim: the Republican Party

Donald Trump The gutless wonders will slip back into the at the helm of the swamp, where he will digest GOP continue to the party he support Donald has swallowed whole and Trump. Even though America will finally know his last atrocity, what the Republicans turning the Capitol stand for, writes Michael Building into a crime Harris. scene, made clear to Photograph courtesy of the world in explicit Gage Skidmore/ Commons video after video Wikimedia that something truly noxious had crawled out of the Washington swamp—the president himself.

GOP bought it. It was a Hans McConnell’s colleague and Republican candidates in the 2022 Muslims have no place in Christian Andersen/Stephen King minority leader in the House of mid-term elections. government. moment. U.S. politics had become Representatives appeared to lack Democratic House Represen- The Clintons had plotted to part horror story and part fairy the same set of essential glands tative Katherine Clark noted that kill John F. Kennedy Jr. tale, spun by the biggest liar in needed to stand up to bullies, just a month after the assault on The mass shootings at Park- America. Just a week after the liars, and perhaps seditionists. the Capitol Building, “Kevin Mc- land, Sandy Hook, and Las Vegas president’s Capitol Crime, House In the wake of the Capitol Hill Carthy’s response is a photo-op were all staged. Republicans voted 211 to 10 not insurrection, Kevin McCarthy with the treasonous instigator.” And in case you were won- Michael Harris to impeach the president. said that he too believed that Clark’s colleague in the House, dering how all those California In a later vote, it was the same what happened on Jan. 6 was im- Minnesota Democrat Ilan Omar, Harris wildfires started, here’s the scoop story in the Senate. Only five peachable, and that the president echoed that view: “I see, begging from Greene. It was a conspiracy between Pacific Gas and Electric- ALIFAX—So the Creature Five dead, ity, and the Rothschild banking Hfrom Mar-a-Lago has claimed including a group, who started the fires using another victim: the Republican Capitol Hill lasers from space in a money- Party. police officer, making plot attached to a high- The gutless wonders at the hundreds speed train project. helm of the GOP continue to sup- traumatized for Hillary Clinton observed that, port Donald Trump. Even though life, America given Greene’s fevered theories, his last atrocity, turning the Capi- humiliated based on QAnon, the new House tol Building into a crime scene, abroad, and Representative from Georgia made clear to the world in explicit the office of should be on a watch list, not a video after video that something the presidency Congressional committee. truly noxious had crawled out reduced to the Despite all of this, Kevin Mc- of the Washington swamp—the Alamo of a Carthy refused to remove Greene president himself. Milosevic-style from the House committees, Five dead, including a Capitol dictator who which triggered a vote in which Hill police officer, hundreds trau- inspired an she was kicked off by a margin matized for life, America humili- attempted coup of 230-199. Only 11 Republicans ated abroad, and the office of the to reverse an voted for her ouster, and McCar- presidency reduced to the Alamo election defeat. thy wasn’t included in that group. of a Milosevic-style dictator who Image courtesy You get the drift. inspired an attempted coup to CBC News This is the week that the reverse an election defeat. GOP (or as Nancy Pelosi calls And then just hours after it, the GQP), will declare moral Trump’s stormtroopers cleared bankruptcy. Given all the previ- out with their bats, hockey sticks, ous votes where Republicans and flying fists, 147 Republicans have massively rejected holding voted in favour of overturning the Donald Trump, or his dipstick ac- election results. Their votes were Republicans out of 50 voted to try bore responsibility. the loser-insurrectionist to help colades, to account, don’t expect based on the same fabricated the president for inciting a mob to Then the qualifications started them not lose again in 2022, is the them to find the courage to con- claim that had sent the mob into a attack the Capitol Building at the to appear. Trump was partially strategy the GOP is going for.” vict an ex-president. frenzy – that there had been wide- very moment that Congress was responsible. Finally, the ethical Could McCarthy’s rubber The whole thing will descend spread voter fraud – mind you, trying to fulfill its constitutional retreat was complete; everyone spine get more flexible than when into a brouhaha of hypocrites, only in the states that Trump lost. obligation to certify the presi- was responsible. When the rubber he genuflected to Trump in Flori- with nothing more for the Re- Never mind that sixty court dential election. In fact, the mob hit the road in the House vote, da? It actually disappeared alto- publicans to celebrate at the end decisions had found otherwise. brought the work of the lawmak- McCarthy too voted against im- gether in his handling of Marjorie the day than that they have once Never mind that Republican state ers to a halt. peachment. Taylor Greene, the Miss QAnon of again smothered the truth in the election officials had confirmed One of those lawmakers was Then came the moment when the new Republican Party. oily rags of misplaced partisan- that Joe Biden had won the presi- Mitch McConnell, GOP minority Kevin McCarthy became Charlie Consider what this purveyor ship. dency in a free and fair election. leader in the Senate. McConnell McCarthy, Donald Trump’s ven- of batshit conspiracy theories has As for the Creature from Mar- Never mind that many lawmakers had earlier said that be believed triloquist doll. as credentials for a spot on the a-Lago, he will slip back into the had been forced to cower under Trump had committed impeach- The Republican minority Education, Labour and Budget swamp, where he will digest the the furniture, or hide in closets able offences. He declared that House leader arrived as a sup- committees of the House of Rep- party he has swallowed whole. on Jan. 6, while the Trump mob the president had “provoked” the plicant at Mar-a-Lago to “kiss resentatives. America will finally know was out for blood in the seat of mob. But when it came time to the ring.” Or kiss something. He Greene has repeatedly what the Republicans stand for. government. vote, this two-faced career politi- emerged with a photo standing supported executing Demo- Michael Harris is an award- The defeated president per- cian voted against holding a Sen- beside Trump, claiming that the cratic members, including House winning journalist and author. sisted with the Big Lie and the ate trial for Trump. ex-president had agreed to help Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 13 Global Burma: back to basics The Burmese What happens army moved with practised now? Probably a ease to arrest democratic new president and leader Aung commander-in-chief San Suu Kyi, pictured, to replace Min Aung and all the members of Hlaing within weeks, her National League for and then another Democracy (NLD) who prolonged period of had been military rule. Foreign elected to the new sanctions? Definitely. parliament by an 80 Popular protests? per cent landslide last Almost certainly. November. Photograph Massive bloodshed courtesy of and repression? Quite Commons Wikimedia possibly; the army has done that before. And Aung San Suu Kyi gets another crack at sainthood.

Trump! But the great mystery is In fact, it was worse than that. the army’s proxy civilian party why the army bothered. When the army started mas- to do much better in the elec- After all, the army still owned sacring the Rohingya, a Muslim tion because of popular support all its money-making commer- minority in the state of Rakhine, among the Bamar ethnic majority cial enterprises, and it really in 2017, Suu Kyi had to go along (66 per cent of the population) for controlled the government too with that as well. The Burmese its actions in Rakhine. And at this despite the democratic window- army’s main business has always point it goes very Trumpish. dressing. Nobel Peace Prize win- been keeping restive minority If you believe you should ner Aung San Suu Kyi was in of- populations down, and it would China’s Xinhua have won the election, it’s a fice, but the army was the power not brook civilian interference in “ short step to thinking that the Gwynne Dyer behind the throne. That was the that key role. news agency vote was rigged, and a longer Global Affairs deal (hopefully transitional) that ‘Had to go along with it’ may but still possible step to believ- she had made with the generals be a bit too generous. Suu Kyi tactfully described ing you should use force to in 2015. didn’t just keep quiet about the reverse this injustice. There was ONDON, U.K.—China’s She didn’t get the title of presi- genocide that drove most of the the Burmese no evidence of fraud and the na- LXinhua news agency tactfully dent or prime minister, although Rohingya population (700,000 army’s seizure tional election commission said described the Burmese army’s she actually held the top job. people) across the border into so, but the army started claiming seizure of power on Feb. 1 as a When the generals rewrote the Bangladesh. She actually went to of power on Feb. there had been “massive voting ‘cabinet reshuffle’. This suggests constitution, they put in a clause the International Court of Justice irregularities.” a possible new approach for Don- excluding people whose children last year and defended the army’s 1 as a ‘cabinet There has long been dissat- ald Trump’s legal team as he faces hold foreign passports (i.e. Suu actions in person. (That was when isfaction among junior generals a second impeachment trial, but it Kyi) from those positions, so her her foreign admirers finally can- reshuffle’. This and colonels about the army’s won’t work, for two reasons. One, official title was just ‘state coun- celled her honorary sainthood.) collaboration with the NLD, Trump’s coup attempt failed. Two, sellor.’ As a Burmese politician hop- suggests a possible profitable though it has been. people got killed. She could not choose who got ing to be re-elected, Suu Kyi prob- new approach for However, the commander-in-chief, Whereas the Burmese army the three most important cabinet ably felt obliged to cater to the Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, moved with practised ease to ar- posts in terms of controlling the ferocious anti-Muslim prejudice Donald Trump’s was distinctly less enthusiastic in rest democratic leader Aung San country: Home, Defence, and of Burma’s Buddhist majority. The his claims of fraud in the run-up Suu Kyi and all the members of Border Affairs were reserved for genocide is the one really popu- legal team as he to the coup. her National League for Democ- serving generals. And one-quarter lar thing the army has done in What happens now? Probably racy (NLD) who had been elected of the seats in parliament were decades. But there have also been faces a second a new president and commander- to the new parliament by an 80 reserved for unelected military of- hints in her private conversations in-chief to replace Min Aung per cent landslide last November. ficers, which was enough to veto that she shares the majority’s impeachment Hlaing within weeks, and then The internet and the phones any changes in the constitution. paranoia about Islam. trial, but it won’t another prolonged period of mili- went down nationwide, military It was a rotten deal, but Suu No matter. She did it, she still tary rule. Foreign sanctions? Defi- snatch squads grabbed the sleep- Kyi could not just force the army stands by it—and the NLD got work, for two nitely. Popular protests? Almost ing MPs out of their beds—they from power. The military had 80 per cent of the votes in the certainly. Massive bloodshed and were all in the capital for the ruled Burma since 1962, and they November election, so it worked. reasons. One, repression? Quite possibly; the official opening of the new parlia- had simply ignored a landslide She kept her side of the rotten army has done that before. And ment later on Feb. 1—and by the election victory by the NLD in deal. Why did the generals not Trump’s coup Aung San Suu Kyi gets another time the rest of the country was the past. The generals had all the keep their side? After all, they still crack at sainthood. awake the job was done. And guns, and that lopsided power- really held the final control, and attempt failed. Gwynne Dyer’s new book is nobody got hurt. sharing deal was the only alterna- all their investments were safe. Two, people got ‘Growing Pains: The Future of An impressive piece of work. tive to naked military dictator- Part of the reason seems to Democracy (and Work)’. Eat your heart out, Donald ship. be that the soldiers expected killed. The Hill Times 14 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion No more Mr. Nice Guy too soon. All political leaders ex- there are some good privately Countless reports have ex- Some, if not most, of the next The prime minister pressed horror at a military report owned homes, most experts agree posed the many short-comings in tranche of federal money, must detailing the wretched conditions they are generally inferior to pub- the sector, but a primary prob- be tied to specific outcomes—no- has to know that any soldiers found in some Quebec lic, or non-profit, residences—an lem remains staffing: onerous, tably, improvements in long-term detailed, well-funded homes when they were called in to argument borne out by respective unglamorous work at near- care. It is unlikely that provinces, help—filthy beds and bathrooms, death tolls during the pandemic. poverty wages which has driven left to their own devices, will di- federal ‘intrusion’ on inadequate food, little or no atten- York University sociologist and many personal support workers, rect the new federal aid to build- tion to residents’ desperate pleas. senior care expert Pat Armstrong, nurses, and administrators from ing pipelines, or providing higher provincial turf, aimed Now we’re in the second wave, who has been studying the sec- the sector, a flight exacerbated salaries for hospital administra- and the deaths continue, as do tor for years, notes that private by the pandemic. Changing that tors, rather than fixing nursing at improving long- lamentations, this time over slug- homes are largely funded and will require a large investment, homes. But similar things have gish vaccine deliveries. Mean- regulated (albeit weakly) by the but one many Canadians may happened, and, without rigorous- term care, could be while, over-stretched facilities in province, so they cut corners to be willing to pay. And the cost ly enforced national standards, wildly applauded by several provinces, most recently, secure profits by skimping on can be mitigated somewhat by finding decent long-term care will British Columbia, are counting on “discretionary” items like laun- increased resources for at-home continue to be a matter of luck the public, if not the the Canadian Red Cross to back- dry, food, and cleaning. They also care, the best outcome for se- and location for most Canadians. stop exhausted staff. But this is a usually pay staff significantly less niors who are mentally sound if Of course, any talk of “strings” prickly prima-donnas bandaid, like the “temporary” $3 than public and non-profit homes. physically frail. sets off angry denunciations from wage increase for essential work- This has led some—most re- The provinces have tried to premiers of federal “meddling,” or aligned against him. ers offered by Ontario, or Que- cently federal NDP leader Jagmeet make improvements, but slowly micro-managing, a performative bec’s pop-up training courses for Singh—to call for an end to private and unevenly. A desperate Legault stubbornness that is particularly He, too, is heading new personal support workers. long-term care. He knows the has repeatedly begged retired irksome in a national emergency. into a possible spring The provinces want $28-billion more in annual health transfers to election and needs a Prime Minister spend as they see fit. “I don’t see Justin Trudeau, what the federal government knows win. pictured Jan. 29, about nursing homes,” blustered 2021, holding Premier Legault recently. To which a media briefing the obvious rejoinder is: what do outside the you, actually, know about them? Rideau Cottage in Trudeau says he will “happily Ottawa. Even those partner” with provinces and ter- who find Justin ritories that want to co-operate on Trudeau annoying, improving long-term care. Those mannered, who will not agree to federal insufficiently standards, he implies, won’t get serious, or arrogant, the money, and will be answer- also know this: we able to their electorates. This is Susan Riley are one people when a disappointingly timid stance, it comes to how we Impolitic although it may be all he can do treat our elders. given the constitutional reality. We have already Trudeau has been urged to in- HELSEA, QUE.—If Canada lost more people in voke the federal Emergencies Act Cdoesn’t emerge from this long-term care than to supersede provincial objections pandemic with much-improved any other wealthy and impose national standards to long-term care for seniors—be- nation. And we fill a desperate leadership void at ginning with concrete and well- don’t want to carry this critical moment. That, how- funded steps in that direction the national shame ever, requires the approval of both come spring—then nothing else of more unnecessary the Commons and the Senate, will matter. deaths. Do what and, particularly with a minor- Not the job losses, shatter- you have to, prime ity government, could provoke a ing though they were for some minister, and let lengthly, angry distraction, with an families; not the crushing anxiety them howl, writes uncertain outcome, while the pan- for working parents with kids at Susan Riley. The Hill demic is still claiming victims and home, or at risk, in tense class- Times photograph by vaccine deliveries are disrupted. rooms; not the panic suffered by Andrew Meade Withholding funding from un- businesses, large and small, as cooperative provinces is probably they saw customers disappear, or the only lever Trudeau has (which their life’s work evaporate. And is unfortunate for those Cana- certainly not the disgustingly It will take deep reform and prime minister will never get the nurses and doctors to help out in dians whose premiers are too inappropriate political point- more money to fix the system, unanimous consent of premiers for nursing homes. Besides training a blinded by ego, or ideology, to col- scoring—that empty, debased most critics agree. But that seems such a move, so he proposes the new cadre of support workers, he laborate). Still, the prime minister contest among various prominent to be as far as agreement goes. imposition of firm federal stan- is promising a $26 hourly start- has to know that any detailed, blowhards that continues in the Like so many important issues in dards—more money to the prov- ing wage. Ontario has appointed well-funded federal “intrusion” on face of a national tragedy. this country, progress is hobbled inces, but with strings attached. a commission which is to report provincial turf, aimed at improv- People will find jobs again. De- by federal-provincial turf wars. In his view, the feds should in April. And British Columbia ing long-term care, could be pressed sectors will rebound and Provinces are responsible for only fund new, publicly owned, or was ahead of the game from the wildly applauded by the public, those that don’t weren’t going to long-term care, with the federal non-profit, care homes and impose start, as one of few provinces that if not the prickly prima-donnas survive anyway. Education will government throwing cash (never regulations aimed at better staffing, prohibits long-term care workers aligned against him. He, too, is resume and most kids will catch enough) their way. better upkeep, better everything— from working in different homes heading into a possible spring up. But, for the thousands who This has created uneven regulations so onerous, in Singh’s at the same time, thereby risking election and needs a win. died in long-term care (some 80 quality in long-term care both be- version, they would drive profit- the spread of infection. Even those who find Justin per cent of the nation’s total ca- tween provinces—where British seekers from the sector. It is not a But, at the same time, six of 10 Trudeau annoying, mannered, sualties), and their families, there Columbia’s homes are considered bad idea, at least the “strings” part. provinces have not yet spent their insufficiently serious, or arrogant, is no second chance. They died the best, with Quebec’s rank- Indeed, the “strings”—which share of the $24-billion the federal also know this: we are one people of COVID-19, often alone, almost ing among the worst—but also should ensure attractive salaries government provided earlier for when it comes to how we treat entirely because the system failed within provinces. In Ontario, for and full-time work for personal PPE, and other measures, aimed at our elders. We have already lost them. instance, 58 per cent of homes are support workers, scrupulous at- safely reopening schools, day- more people in long-term care So unbalanced and heart- private owned, with 24 per cent tention to cleanliness, ventilation, cares, and businesses, and shoring than any other wealthy nation. wrenching is this loss that it run by non-profits and the rest by food and resident privacy, and bet- up wages for essential workers. And we don’t want to carry the caught the attention of politi- municipalities. ter administration—may be more Of the $374-billion in overall national shame of more unneces- cians. Ontario Premier Doug Ford The privatization wave in On- crucial than ownership. Some 58 pandemic aid so far, some 92 per sary deaths. Do what you have to, vowed to put an “iron ring” around tario started in the Mike Harris per cent of Quebec’s long-term cent has come from Ottawa, with prime minister, and let them howl. Ontario’s often-wretched seniors’ years and continued as subse- care residences are publicly another $100-million expected in Susan Riley is a veteran politi- homes. Quebec’s François Legault quent governments tried to off- owned, after all, and are among the upcoming spring budget. (The cal columnist who writes regu- spoke movingly of people losing load some of the costs of caring the most neglected, out-dated and premiers have mostly been hold- larly for The Hill Times. their grandparents, their parents, for its most frail citizens. While poorly staffed in the country. ing their applause.) The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 15 Opinion

New federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 6, 2020. Canada has allocated $3-billion over five years under its Strategic Innovation Fund and its mandate includes support and development of 'a Canadian battery innovation and industry ecosystem' but without a business- led battery enterprise with the technology that meets industry needs, Canada may end up being a niche player, writes David Crane. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Dreams are fine but results are much better

A good example of this dream of the entire battery supply chain LG Chem the world’s two largest raised more than US$1.6-billion What we need now is is the near-euphoria in Ottawa to ensure Canada can build the manufacturers. They accounted in equity investments, accessed after Ford and FCA (Chrysler) batteries that will power the ve- for almost half the world’s pro- close to $1-billion in European less talk of Canada as committed to keeping open hicles and the electricity grids of duction last year. There is now Union loans, and has an order assembly plants—to produce the future.” a race underway, in the Euro- from Volkswagen for $3-billion a global champion in electric vehicles—that would have The Trudeau government pean Union, the United States, of batteries. It is also building a electric vehicle and been closed without Canadian argues we have a big advantage and Britain to develop domestic recycling plant in Norway. taxpayers be paying well over because of our minerals such as battery producers. Currently the In Britain, a group of investors batteries and a much $1-billion to keep these two nickel, cobalt and lithium. Yet our Europeans and Americans rely from Abu Dhabi and Scandinavia plants open and sustain existing nickel is not in a form that can heavily on plants owned by Asian have formed Britishvolt, which is clearer analysis of employment. The companies may be used for battery production manufacturers, such as CATL’s planning $4-billion Gigafactory in get tax breaks as well. Staying in without costly upgrading and plant in Germany or LG Chem’s Britain on a 95-hecatre site where how we might best the game is expensive. Nor do we further processing; Indonesia has joint venture with General Motors it expects suppliers will also know whether there will be much a better nickel ore for batteries in Ohio. Tesla is the main U.S. locate. Negotiations are under- participate in the new Canadian technology used in and the Asian battery producers manufacturer with plants in Ne- way for financial support from electric age. these plants. are all there. The Congo has the vada and China and construction the British government under its Yet this didn’t stop the Prime world’s most plentiful supply of underway in Germany. battery strategy and the company Minister’s Office after these an- cobalt and, again, the Asians are But as the transition to elec- is expected to go public to raise nouncements to quickly declare already there. And South Ameri- tric vehicles accelerates, there additional funds this year. that “electrification will allow us can countries, notably Chile and will be a need for more battery Canada has allocated $3-bil- to position the innovative Cana- Argentina, have a big cost com- plants—which, because of the lion over five years under its dian automotive industry as a petitiveness in lithium production. heavy weight of batteries, need to Strategic Innovation Fund and global leader in battery-electric Our mineral base today is much be built close to assembly plants. its mandate includes support manufacturing.” And his Industry less of an advantage than our Ontario’s electric vehicle plants and development of “a Canadian Minister at the time, Navdeep government claims. could be supplied by battery pro- battery innovation and industry Bains, proclaimed Canada had a Moreover, recycling will be- duction in Ontario or by plants ecosystem” that would “cover sup- competitive advantage in bat- come a competitive source of raw in nearby Michigan or Ohio, for port for everything from mining David Crane teries because of what he said materials as existing batteries example. and processing, and research were “our natural resources and age. Here, Canada is in the game. Two projects, one in Sweden and development to manufactur- Canada & the 21st Century the scientific excellence and A Kingston, Ontario company, Li- and the other in Britain show ing and recycling.” But without a manufacturing skills to maximize Cycle, has proprietary technology the challenges. Plants have to be business-led battery enterprise ORONTO—Around the world, them.” Since then GM has an- that it says allows it to recycle 95 big—they are not surprisingly with the technology that meets in- Tcountries are looking to a green nounced it will keep an assembly per cent of the materials in dis- called Gigafactories—so they dustry needs, Canada may end up recovery, with big plans to gener- plant open in Ontario for electric carded lithium-ion batteries, in- require significant capital and ex- being a niche player, and some- ate investment and jobs through vans, though this will also depend cluding nickel, cobalt and lithium, pertise. But they also must be led times a potentially considerable innovative clean technologies. on taxpayer support. for re-use. It is investing $175-mil- by companies, not governments. one, as Li-cycle suggests. One of the biggest targets is the This aspirational language is lion to build North America’s Sweden and Britain benefit be- What we need now, though, design and production of batteries continued in the Trudeau gov- largest battery recycling facility, cause of business-led initiatives. is less talk of Canada as a global for motor vehicles, rail, and urban ernment’s climate “strategy”—A in Rochester, New York, which In one example, a Swedish champion in electric vehicle and transit, shipping and aviation, as Healthy Environment and a will become a major source of company established in 2016, batteries and a much clearer well as large-scale storage systems Healthy Economy. It boasts that nickel and lithium and cobalt. Northvolt, is building a major analysis of how we might best for renewable energy Canada is the government is “working with But designing and produc- production facility and research participate in the new electric one of those countries that is eager its partners to make Canada a ing batteries is an even bigger centre in Sweden, a plant in age. Dreams are fine but results to participate. But translating that leader in the design, development challenge. Today the industry is Poland for assembly of battery are much better. dream into reality means much and manufacturing of zero-emis- dominated by Asian producers, modules, and is in a joint venture David Crane can be reached at more focused, realistic and targeted sion vehicles.” Under its plans, it with China’s Contemporary Am- with Volkswagen for a mas- [email protected]. initiatives than we have seen so far. would “support the development perex Technology Co. and Korea’s sive project in Germany. It has The Hill Times 16 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion

more possessions and stock businesses to reopen. Reducing COVID-19 recession: why markets might spike, but it will do payroll taxes for new-hires would little for those who have lost their provide a further incentive. jobs or are afraid they might. In short, policies like in- The Canadian government and frastructure projects, efficient traditional economic tools provinces have taken extraor- re-training, reduced payroll taxes dinary and laudable efforts to and the beginnings of a guaran- get cash straight to individuals teed annual income system are and small businesses in need. some the of tools we can rely on to will not restore job losses This puts money directly into help restore economic growth dur- the economy without the banks ing and after the pandemic crisis. and other institutions acting as In the longer term, govern- gate keepers. However, as would ments in Canada need to come to The neoliberal notion of handing out money, low interest rates are. Banks be expected at this time, these terms with the fact that our future can become unwilling to lend as singular allocations have been must include a focused industrial free land and tax exemptions to start-up, personal credit scores tumble and modest and temporary. At this strategy utilizing skilled workers personal savings are depleted. writing, the federal government trained in all the proven tools for small and medium sized businesses is now Lower interest rates might is attempting to re-establish the clean-tech advanced manufactur- help some in the middle class to Employment Insurance program ing. As the European industrial completely discredited. Instead, a focused renegotiate mortgages or con- as the focus for ongoing funding. heartland has shown, an advanced sider new house purchases. As A compelling argument can be sector is capable of weathering industrial strategy based on advanced for the upper middle class and made for establishing a guar- heavy economic storms. manufacturing is the future. the rich, it has been shown that anteed annual income even as Given the sorry state of Cana- interest rates rarely effect their the current crisis continues. This dian entrepreneurialism, this shift spending habits and that includes would assist ordinary Canadians will likely require Crown corpora- policies (interest rates and money the expansion of their businesses. to better weather the ups and tions to lead the way and then, supplies) or expansionary fiscal Canada is also utilizing quan- downs of the economy, now and perhaps, pass off what is created policies (taxation and government titative easing (QE) to increase in the future, with one simple, to the private sector. The neolib- expenditures) or both to stimulate the supply of money and liquid- reliable and well-funded program. eral notion of handing out money, job growth. Unfortunately, these ity in the economy. Again, the Infrastructure programs can free land and tax exemptions to policies can take up to six months intent is to give a boost to product create many jobs and robust eco- start-up, small and medium sized or more to prompt economic and service demand by making nomic spin-offs. However, the fact businesses is now completely dis- gains if, in fact, they will work credit more readily available remains that most of these jobs credited. Instead, a focused indus- at all during the current atypical from banks. This policy is often are temporary and only available trial strategy based on advanced recession. The exception may be referred to as “printing money.” to certain trades and professions. manufacturing is the future. Ken McFarlane & Ian Waddell government funding for neces- In short, the government creates Governments could institute Ken McFarlane assisted in Opinion sary infrastructure programs. financial instruments to purchase focused and expedited training developing and commercial- The Bank of Canada has low- bonds and securities resulting in programs to allow a broader izing nine advanced materials ered interest rates with the hope the money being released into the spectrum of the unemployed and technologies in Europe and t every Canadian election, federal that this will cause consumers to economy. underemployed to participate in North America. He chairs the Aor provincial politicians promise borrow and spend more resulting As with lowering interest rates, these projects. Regeneration Group LLP which to create more jobs. Easier said than in businesses expanding and hir- there is no concrete evidence that If the quantity and size of undertakes economic develop- done at the best of times. The current ing additional workers to satisfy utilizing quantitative QE will lead infrastructure programs were ment projects on four continents. COVID-19 recession adds unique ele- increased demand. However, to increased consumer spending maximized, then the number of Ian Waddell is a former NDP MP ments to the challenge. once a major recession is under- and therefore job creation during jobs created as we ease out of this and a former British Columbia Instinctively, governments way most people are too poor to the current severe recession. It recession might well be sufficient minister of small business. will use expansionary monetary spend or borrow no matter how may assist the rich to acquire to allow small and medium sized The Hill Times

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured It’s time feds give us straight Feb. 2, 2021, holding a presser in front of his home at the Rideau Cottage talk on the vaccine rollout in Ottawa where he announced updated The past 10 months have been While we Canadian citizens travel restrictions in It is time for the hard on everyone. No matter your were doing our utmost to work response to the second age, or stage of life, COVID has from home, teach our kids in the wave of the COVID-19 government to get halted everybody in their tracks. next room over, miss our siblings’ pandemic and unveiled We, as Canadian citizens, have weddings in other countries, fail a plan to domestically real with Canadians, hunkered down, figured out how to find love, we believed—we as- manufacture Novavax go beyond the best to communicate with others sumed—the Canadian government COVID-19 vaccines virtually, made Zoom dinners a was doing its utmost to secure at a National approved talking thing, baked, cried, felt hopeless, vaccinations and come up with a Research Council bio- rose up, stayed home, masked suitable and realistic rollout plan to manufacturing facility points and illustrate up, and waited patiently. We help dig its citizens out of this rut in . The Hill were amazed by the speed of the which we are all collectively living Times photograph by that they understand vaccine trials and wowed by the in. When the government said it Andrew Meade our concerns when tireless work of the scientists to had secured enough doses to vac- get a vaccine into trials like never cinate our population three times to repeat that these hiccups will government is going to fight for faced with unrealistic experienced before. All the while, over, we rejoiced, we started to see not result in delays to the overall our right to get a vaccine before a we continued to socially distance, that little speck of light. While we vaccine rollout schedule, though new one will be necessary. answers. limiting any social interactions we played our part, we trusted that it is hardly a stretch to see why It is time for the government to with trusted friends outside and these deals the government bro- this may be far-fetched. While this get real with Canadians, go beyond two metres apart to help stop kered were solid and competitive, comes from good intentions, this the approved talking points and the spread of this terrible, scary that the rollout of these vaccines does a disservice to us Canadians. illustrate that they understand our virus. News broke that these vac- would be well considered, orga- It is clear there is an issue. We concerns when faced with unreal- cines were just about ready. We nized, and ready once the vaccine understand that qualified experts istic answers. And it is also time to were ecstatic. Some 97 per cent arrived at our doorstep. are undoubtedly working tire- show the world that while Canadi- efficacy? Mind blowing. It needs Unfortunately, that does not lessly to address these gaping, and ans may be nice, we will also not sub-freezing temperatures to seem to be the reality. Though we growing, issues that the plebeian back down; we will have a seat at the store? No worries, we knew it was have kept our smiles hitched, our commentators are not even aware table and we will fight and defend only a matter of time, any day outlook resolute, a crack is start- of. We get it. But it is time to get se- our position to secure what is neces- now, that we would soon have a ing to form. The vaccine rollout, rious with us. We Canadians have sary for us Canadians who continue feeling of relief in our hands and it seems, is not so organized, and proved to be resilient, resourceful, to persevere, to innovate in the face Amanda Shore we could let out the communal transparency and information are helpful, kind, and strong. We need of adversity, and who still want to be Opinion breath we had been holding to lacking. Vaccine shipments are realistic answers and even more proud to call ourselves Canadian. gain some sort of release. We un- being withheld for this reason realistic solutions. Another virus Amanda Shore is an archi- derstood this was not the magic or that, and millions of Canadi- strain is threatening our already tectural designer who lives in t’s time the Canadian govern- pill, but it would, in short order, ans are still not vaccinated. The tenuous, uncertain future and we Ottawa. Iment gets serious. be a light at the end of the tunnel. Canadian government continues want to know that the Canadian The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 17 Opinion

gize for posting letters with racist comments—that was, after all, case reveals the basis of the complaint. If they had consulted with Indigenous Senators or with survivors, they would have been told that Beyak’s apology was not good enough, and systemic racism in Senate thus they would not have been able to recommend that she be reinstated. This shows how vitally important consultation with Indig- enous Senators can be; the recom- ethics procedures, full stop mendation of the Senate Ethics Committee would have been different had we been consulted. Former senator Beyak’s comments about IRS were It is systemic racism Lillian Dyck, not part of the ethics investigation. who retired in But her repetitive claim over a pe- to allow a non- August 2020, riod of several years, in which she writes that the not only denied the harms done to Indigenous person investigative Indigenous people by residential to decide what is process used schools, but also made race-bait- by the Senate ing comments, would have been anti-Indigenous to assess grounds for a complaint of racism. whether the Thirdly, it was systemic racism racism without any letters posted by the Senate Ethics Committee by former and the SEO to design educational consultation with senator Lynn programs for Beyak to counteract Indigenous persons. Beyak were her ignorance about IRS and rac- racist was a ism without input from Indigenous prime example Senators or IRS survivors. While BY LILLIAN EVA QUAN DYCK of systemic the second training program racism. The designed specifically for Beyak ynn Beyak retired from the Hill Times seemed to be comprehensive, LSenate on Jan. 25, four years photograph by the method of evaluation was ill after she began her outlandish Andrew Meade defined, with no actual test to claim that Indian residential determine key things that Beyak schools (IRS) were really not that should have learned. After her harmful to the thousands of In- training, Beyak did not have to ex- dian children who attended them, plain why certain comments in the but were instead characterized letters were racist towards Indig- by an abundance of good. A year enous people, nor did she have to later, she posted numerous letters demonstrate her new understand- supporting her position some of ing by being able to identify other which contained anti-Indigenous anti-Indigenous racist comments racist comments. in some of the letters. Several Senators, includ- The SEO and the Senators ing myself, wrote to the Senate who were members of the Ethics asking for the letters containing have been consulted during the Secondly, it was systemic ed the Indigenous Senators and Committee put a lot of hard work racist comments about Indig- investigation, but no input was racism by the Senate Ethics sought their input. In her official and thought into their drawn- enous people to be removed from sought from us. In addition, Elder Committee not to seek input apology, Beyak only apologized out efforts on the Beyak file, but Beyak’s website. She refused to Garnet Angeconeb from Lac Seul from the Indigenous Senators on for causing hurt and wrongful their process was fundamentally take them down and remained First Nation suggested that IRS the adequacy of Beyak’s official conduct with regard to the letters; flawed due to systemic racism. The steadfast in her viewpoint about survivors like himself should have apology. The normal practice of she did not apologize for posting Indigenous Senators could have IRS. On June 16, 2020, Beyak been asked for their input into the the Senate Ethics Committee is racist comments; yet, the Ethics made meaningful and important apologized for wrongful conduct complaint process. to be the authority that makes Committee accepted her apology. suggestions on the Ethics Com- and for causing hurt by posting Let’s examine these three recommendations to the Senate As the daughter of an IRS mittee process in the three areas some letters with hurtful com- points more closely. On the first as a whole, but when a complaint survivor and as a former senator, outlined above, which would have ments. It’s important to note, point, the SEO, a non-Indige- of anti-Indigenous racism was re- I am shocked that the committee improved it, expedited it, and however, that she did not apolo- nous person, made the official ceived, they should have consult- did not insist that Beyak apolo- changed the recommendations. gize for posting letters with racist determination of which com- By not seeking input from the comments or for her opinion ments in the letters were consid- Indigenous Senators, the SEO about residential schools. ered to be anti-Indigenous racist and the Ethics Committee under- Now, after two reports from comments. It is systemic racism estimated the racist content of the the Senate ethics officer (SEO), to allow a non-Indigenous letters she posted, and they over- three reports from the Senate’s person to decide what is anti- estimated both the adequacy of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Indigenous racism without any her official apology and of what Committee of the Senate, two sus- consultation with Indigenous she learned after her retraining. pensions without pay, two train- persons. We’ve been conditioned Consequently, their recommen- ing courses on racism and Indig- to give this kind of power to dation to reinstate Beyak was enous history, an official apology, people in positions of authority wrong. a recommendation by the Senate like an ethics officer, a human Clearly, going forward, the Ethics Committee to reinstate her, resource director, or a judge Senate needs to employ a differ- and a notice of motion to expel without regard to their identity. ent approach when investigating her, Beyak has retired. But that is no longer acceptable complaints concerning racist In my opinion, the investiga- or even logical. behaviours. In October 2018, the tive process used by the Senate to Would it be acceptable or Indigenous Senators suggested assess whether the letters posted logical for me as a Cree-Chinese that the Code of Conduct for by Beyak were racist was a prime person be the authority who de- Senators be broadened to make example of systemic racism. cides what constitutes anti-Black it clear that racist behaviour is The SEO or the Ethics Commit- racism? Obviously not. While prohibited. And going forward, tee members, only one of whom there is no doubt that the SEO clearly those Senators who are was Indigenous, were the sole and other non-Indigenous people BIPOC must have a meaningful authorities who could: decide are able to pick out overtly rac- role in implementing this type what constituted anti-Indigenous ist comments about Indigenous of change to the ethics rules racism; determine whether peoples, they would not be able regarding conduct. It’s high time Beyak’s apology was acceptable; to pick out all of the less-obvious to reveal and eradicate systemic and decide whether she learned race-baiting comments that trig- racism in the Senate ethics rules enough from her retraining. ger offence in, shame, or harm an The recommendation of the Senate ethics officer and the Senate Ethics Committee and procedures. These three modes of operation, Indigenous person. For example, to reinstate former senator Lynn Beyak after suspension were wrong because they Dr. Lillian Eva Quan Dyck is a which are normal for the Senate, the SEO identified five letters underestimated the racist content of the letters she posted, and they overestimated former senator who represented constitute systemic racism. The which contained racist comments; both the adequacy of her official apology and of what she learned after her Saskatchewan from 2005 to 2020. other Indigenous Senators should I picked out 19. retraining, writes former senator Lillian Dyck. The Hill Times file photograph The Hill Times 18 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Opinion

Haitian authoritarian measures. On the President contrary, Ottawa has backed Jovenel Moise, Moïse at almost every turn. Dur- pictured in Port ing a week-long general strike in au Prince on February 2019 and an even longer Feb. 7, 2017, one in October, Canadian officials after being publicly backed the president. sworn in as the Canada funds and trains a police 58th president force that has violently repressed of Haiti. He anti-Moïse protests with the should have Canadian ambassador repeatedly left office on attending police functions and Feb. 7, 2021, refusing to criticize their repres- but looks set to sion. extend his term Alongside the U.S., France, in defiance of Germany, Brazil, Organization of the constitution American States (OAS), UN and and popular Spain, Canada is part of the “Core will, writes Group” of foreign ambassadors in Bianca Port-au-Prince generally believed Mugyenyi. to be the real power behind Photograph Moïse. Last year, Radio Canada’s courtesy of flagship investigative program Flickr Enquête pointed out that the Core Group was spawned at the “Ot- tawa Initiative on Haiti.” On Jan. 31, 2003, the Canadian govern- ment convened top U.S., French, and OAS officials to discuss Haiti’s future. No Haitian officials were invited to the secret two-day meeting where they discussed the removal of the elected president and putting the country under UN trusteeship. On the final day of Black History Month not long after the country celebrated the 200- year anniversary of the Haitian Revolution, U.S. Marines forced president Jean-Bertrand Aristide out of the country in the middle of the night. Canadian JTF2 special forces “secured” the airport from Canada should be speaking up against which Aristide said he was “kid- napped.” A 15-year UN occupation of the country began. Moïse’s authoritarian measures in Haiti Last year, Bloc Québécois MP sponsored Ottawa is supporting a govern- a parliamentary petition calling Rather than just ment that is reviving the spectre on the federal government to of the infamous Papa Doc and “publish all documents relat- words acknowledging Baby Doc Duvalier dictatorship. ing to the ‘Ottawa Initiative on More than two centuries ago, Haiti’” and to “hold a hearing structural racism, Africans in Saint-Domingue rose of the Standing Committee on up against the most barbaric of Foreign Affairs and Interna- Ottawa must take all the slave economies to become tional Development to learn action that improves a beacon for Black liberation. everything there is to know Over 13 years, they freed them- about the ‘Ottawa Initiative on the lives of long- selves, defeating multiple colonial Haiti,’ including its link to the powers including a British force ‘Core Group.” The petition gath- marginalized Black led by Toronto icon John Graves ered the signatures required to Simcoe. The Haitian Revolu- be presented in Parliament but people. At the tion represents what may be the was sideswiped by the global greatest example of liberation in pandemic. Opposition parties international level, a the history of humanity, abolish- should press the matter. good place to begin ing slavery three decades before Last week, protests and a gen- Canada and six decades before eral strike are planned in Haiti would be ending the U.S. to oppose Moïse’s bid to extend There is a different kind of his mandate. The opposition has Canada’s support resilience emerging in Haiti largely united behind a proposal today. Unfortunately, this time, it for a caretaker government to for the revival of is the fortitude of a reactionary oversee elections. Duvalierism in Haiti. elite—that should have long been To commemorate Black His- discredited—when supported by tory Month, the Canadian Foreign Washington and Ottawa. Policy Institute has launched a Neo-Duvalierist President letter writing campaign to new Jovenel Moïse, who should have Foreign Minister left left office on Feb. 7, looks set asking him to reset Canadian to extend his term in defiance of policy towards a country that the constitution and popular will. did so much to make Black lives After surviving 18 months of mas- matter. sive protests and strikes spurred Rather than just words by a huge corruption scandal, acknowledging structural rac- Moïse has consolidated his grip To commemorate Black History Month, the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute ism, Ottawa must take action has launched a letter writing campaign to new Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, that improves the lives of long- Bianca Mugyenyi during the pandemic. In the summer, he forced out the entire pictured, asking him to reset Canadian policy towards a country that did so marginalized Black people. At Opinion electoral council and instigated much to make Black lives matter. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade the international level, a good a gang alliance to instil fear in place to begin would be ending the slums of Port-au-Prince. Soon has released presidential decrees threatening “state security.” The Canada’s support for the revival meaningful way to honour after parliament was disbanded criminalizing protest blockades as new agency may become analo- of Duvalierism in Haiti. ABlack History Month is by because he failed to hold elec- “terrorism” and establishing a new gous to the Duvalier dictatorship’s Bianca Mugyenyi is the direc- questioning Canada’s role in a tions, Moïse began to rewrite the intelligence agency empowered infamous Ton Ton Macoutes. tor of the Canadian Foreign country born in struggle to make constitution in violation of the to infiltrate and arrest anyone Canadian officials have Policy Institute. Black Lives Matter. In Haiti today, law. Over the past few months, he engaged in “subversive” acts or barely criticized any of Moïse’s The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 19 Opinion

Justice Minister Naysayers who David Lametti, pictured at a Hill press conference claim to be on Sept. 15, 2020, is responsible for the speaking up for federal assisted dying legislation. the disabled on The Hill Times photograph by Andrew assisted dying Meade bill are missing the point

it ruled: the existing Canadian MAiD and C-7 are Criminal Code’s prohibitions on voluntary euthanasia (Sec. 14) not measures of and assisted suicide (Sec. 241(b)) personal failure. They violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the new are final choices for law should permit physician as- sisted death for a competent adult people who suffer person who (1) clearly consents to the termination of life; and (2) intolerably and have has a grievous medical condition (including an illness, disease, or had enough of life and disability) that is irremediable its difficulties. They (cannot be alleviated by means acceptable to the individual) and want their right to causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in choose and access a the circumstances of his or her condition. sayers who claim to be speaking Some include the successes of my The featured, institutionalized death with purpose That’s the basis of the real- for the disabled. They’re taking friend Deb who I first met when ableists may be correct when they and dignity. MAiD is ity under review in the House of the time and the attention of the she was almost ready to come to speak of systemic inadequacies to Commons and the Senate. The decision-makers now—just like school. She had severe cerebral support people with disabilities. not perfect and nor is review became necessary because before, and they’re missing the palsy, but had great support from But that’s the unfortunate reality MAiD failed to meet the direc- entire point. The Supreme Court her family and staff from an in- of societal and program failures. C-7, but C-7 should be tive from the Supreme Court. (in reference to the Canadian stitution. How happy I was when These failures should not become Jean Truchon and Nicole Gladu Charter of Rights and Freedoms) she received her first typewriter. the basis for denying the disabled passed now. appealed to the Quebec Supe- is saying that disabled persons It was mechanical and she could their rights as Canadians nor ac- rior Court for help, just like two are entitled to all the rights of all type with a pencil between her cess to choose MAiD. These fail- others in Canada, because MAiD Canadians. teeth. Deb started into regu- ures are much better addressed failed. They argued that the clause I know of no disabled person lar classes in Grade 7 and she by the programs and services that “death must be reasonably who wants his/her rights removed showed all her classmates how offered by these same ableists. foreseeable” failed to protect the or lessened. she could adapt, learn, and attend MAiD and C-7 are not mea- rights to equality as well as life, In fact, the irony of it all, is school dances. She became one of sures of personal failure. They liberty, and security for all Ca- that many of these naysayers Canada’s first Para-Olympians in are final choices for people who nadians. The Quebec Court ruled have pretended for years to speak swimming. She’s since designed suffer intolerably and have had in their favour and ordered the and represent the disabled popu- and sold wheelchairs, written enough of life and its difficulties. federal lawmakers to make the lation. In denying disabled per- books (all with teeth and pencil), They want their right to choose requisite changes to MAiD. sons access to MAiD, they have travelled with and without family and access a death with purpose Ron Posno With respect to the Truchon become “ablest” the very kind of and stood up (figuratively) for and dignity. MAiD is not perfect Opinion decision Justice Baudouin people they’ve been speaking disabled persons whenever there and nor is C-7, but C-7 should explained, “The vulnerability against for years. Note: ableism is was opportunity. be passed now. There are far too of a person requesting medi- defined as discrimination against There’s also Chantel Petit- many hurting people, suffering ONDON, ONT.—There is a cal assistance in dying must be disabled persons. Every argument clerc—a former Para-Olympian in their respective agonies for Lheated debate going on here assessed exclusively on a case- they put forth to limit access to and now a Canadian Senator better access to MAiD. They don’t in Canada about medical assis- by-case basis, according to the MAiD is ableism. who’s a strong advocate for need more prolonged and tired tance in dying (MAiD) because of characteristics of the person and I can say this because I am MAiD. We’ve seen Rick Hansen arguments. MAiD needs improve- the changes proposed in Bill C-7, not based on a reference group classified as disabled. I have de- wheel his chair across Canada ment. Better it come in the later, a bill that currently sits with the of so-called ‘vulnerable persons.’ ” mentia; I am one-eyed and losing and witnessed Terry Fox attempt anticipated full review in June. Senate for review. Several articles The justice also added that, “The vision in the remaining eye, my to run one-legged on the same Ron Posno received his formal have been published in the past patient’s ability to understand left knee is crippled; and I am 81 course first. Jesse Davidson, schooling from College Militaire few weeks on the wishes and the and to consent is ultimately the years old. with muscular dystrophy, made Royale, University of Western failures for the disabled but have decisive factor, in addition to the I hate saying all this because a similar journey with his father. Ontario, Wayne State University, failed to countenance the reality. other legal criteria.” for most of my life I’ve worked David Charles Onley, an officer and the . I would like to present another Now, we’re going around the with and for people with dis- of Ontario and former lieuten- Nationally recognized for curricu- position on the issue. same circle. We had the moralists abilities. My success as a profes- ant governor, lived, worked and lum innovation in special educa- MAiD and Bill C-7 both have (conscientious objectors) and the sional was based upon inculcat- served entirely from his wheel- tion, he was a teacher, consultant deficiencies, some being ad- naysayers crowding the floor and ing and practising a “can-do” chair—doing much to support and school superintendent. As an dressed in Bill C-7, but nonethe- crying for exemptions, precautions, philosophy. We focus on what the so-called disabled. These are advocate for people with excep- less, MAiD is the current reality and safeguards. We had them for we can do as opposed to worry- just a few people who come to tional needs, he has lectured in 13 of a law directive from the Su- Sue Rodriquez in 1993, for Kay ing about the “can’ts.” You should my mind. There are many other universities and colleges in Canada preme Court of Canada in Febru- Carter in 2015, and for MAiD in be defined by achievement—not major and personal successes. and the United States. Before retir- ary 2015 (Carter decision). 2016. They took the floor then and failures. But whomever and whoever, ing, he was a motivational speaker The Supreme Court was they’re taking our time now. Consequently, in my life I’ve don’t speak to them about re- who talked about ‘change’ in busi- speaking for all Canadians, I won’t write of the moralists. I had the opportunity to witness moving their rights. And don’t ness and public institutions. including the disabled, when am very concerned with the nay- great successes and failures. talk to me about that either. The Hill Times © Krzysztof Sitkowski / KPRP

© Igor Smirnow / KPRP © Krzysztof Sitkowski / KPRP

Central Europe as a Community of Shared Aspirations

new decade of the 20th century has just opened. A decade of uncertainty brought forth by the global pandemic and We can also serve as an inspiring example of how cooperation, joint initiatives and undertakings bring positive results. It was thanks its consequences, but also a decade of hope. A decade of opportunities for the civilization’s and economy’s recovery, to them that Central Europe ceased to be, as it was in adverse times, a peripheral area between the West and East, between imperial a chance to create a world that is better, more just, more green, and one that respects the principles of sustained powers, and instead became a structure connected by multiple ties, one that is aware of its interests and has an influence on the development. As we look towards the future, we are looking for areas which will be the centers of dynamic and positive course of European affairs. The emancipation of Central and Eastern Europe was a success, we are the crucial part of political and changes. I am certain that Central Europe will be one of them on the European and global scale. civilization processes.

Central Europe or Central and Eastern Europe (the terms are used interchangeably) is a significant regional entity, a community of Let me draw your attention to three important planes of Central European cooperation, which are not only of regional significance sharedA fate in terms of geography, politics, and economy as well as in terms of ideas and cultures. As for a location on a map, it but are also crucial in the EU, Atlantic, and even global dimension. The first of them is the Visegrad Group, an entity of the longest is perceived as an area between the Baltic, Adriatic, and the Black seas or (even though it is oversimplification) between Germany existence which gathers Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Initiated in 1991 as a platform for political dialogue and and Russia. But above all, we constitute a circle of common memory. We have had our share of similar historical experiences, in coordination of efforts to gain membership in NATO and the EU, the Visegrad Group has also proven useful once it has achieved the dramatic 20th century in particular. We have suffered from two totalitarianisms, the brown and red ones, that suppressed and these strategic goals. Today it is one of the most important agents in activating regional cooperation in Central Europe and seeking oppressed us. But we also have great, glorious experiences from centuries ago. The 15th-17th centuries, the era called “the Europe of understanding on European affairs. the Jagiellonian dynasty” to be later named the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, saw a flourishing of a voluntary political union in a substantial part of the territory, a precursor to the European Union of today, which was a friendly home to many cultures and faiths and The second of the planes is the Bucharest Nine, a structure that groups countries of NATO’s eastern flank: Poland, Romania, which respected the rule of law, parliamentarianism, and democracy. We are carrying lessons from those experiences – both good Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Bulgaria. It was established in 2015 in Bucharest, where we and bad – into the future as a universal warning as well as inspiration to work towards a common good, the prosperity of the region signed a joint statement which said the Bucharest Nine countries join efforts to secure, where it is necessary, a “robust, credible and all the integrated Europe. and sustainable Allied military presence” in the region. To a large degree, the B9 is a response to Russia’s aggressive policy, to the violations of borders and territorial integrity of the neighboring Ukraine, which threaten a regional and Atlantic security. We are not A description of Central Europe in terms of values is important as well. Being part of Western civilization for more than a thousand going to watch it idly. years, we share its ideological foundations. Milan Kundera suggestively named Central Europe “a kidnapped West,” that is the part of Western civilization that found itself against its will under the Soviet domination – imperial, authoritarian, and unable to manage The third plane of cooperation is the Three Seas Initiative, which was initiated by the President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović rationally. It must be emphasized, though, that our commitment to values that have built the European culture is not without reflection. and myself in 2015. The group comprises countries located between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black seas: Austria, Croatia, Czech We know perhaps better than others the high price one must pay for defending them. We are aware that one must cultivate Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary. The goal is to make joint investments in and reconcile freedom and responsibility, rights and duties, individualism and solidarity, the attitude of criticism, innovation, and infrastructure, transport, energy, and new technologies that will boost the development in our countries and contribute to the cohesion modernization with one that cherishes heritage and traditions that describe our identity. of the European Union. When we look at the map of economic connections within the EU, we will see a significant advantage of the horizontal flows along the West-East axis over vertical flows along the North-South axis. This includes the flows of people, goods, On the threshold of the historic breakthrough of 1989, Timothy Garton Ash wrote that the concept of Central Europe has roused services, and capital, but also infrastructure networks: expressways, railroads, hubs, pipelines, power and IT lines. The Three Seas the Western world from thinking in Cold War terms, has challenged the common notions and priorities but also had something new Initiative, a project aimed at boosting the structural transformation of this part of Europe, is to fill in the missing elements of the to offer in return. This opinion seems to be valid today as well when the participation of Central European countries in the EU and “scaffold” which will help strengthen the integration of our region and the entire EU as well. The fact that aside from the capital from For more information please visit NATO is a crucial and solidified part of the European and Atlantic order, and as our region with its solid economic growth has made a within the EU, also investors from the United States, China, and other parts of the world are involved in the Three Seas Initiative www.gov.pl/kanada-en significant civilization leap. Also today, the concept of Central Europe contains dynamism and positive content. If I were to concisely ensures a sound diversification of benefits and mutual interdependence. present the modern face of Central Europe, including Poland as the biggest country in the region, I would say as follows: it is the community of shared success and the community of shared aspirations at the same time. This is the picture of today and the vision of the future of Central Europe as the community of shared activities, success, and ambitious Social Media: aspirations. We have traveled a long and successful road – from being a region almost non-existent in the minds of the main actors on twitter.com/PLinCanada Central Europe constitutes a perfect example of how powerful and creative power freedom is. Freedom and its siblings – economic the world stage for a long time (“in Poland, that is to say Nowhere,” as Alfred Jarry wrote in late 19th century) – to becoming a region facebook.com/PLinCanada freedom, entrepreneurship, self-government, open up the space for fulfillment of bold ambitions and aspirations. Development which is one of the most dynamically developing parts of the globe and aspires to being listed in the category of centers of civilization. accompanies the progress of freedom. The three decades that have passed since the fall of communism, the regional breakthrough Central Europe – doesn’t the name say it all? Feel invited to take part in this fascinating adventure. Please see this short introductory initiated by the Polish “Solidarity” movement, are the story of the great economic success, of a social and civilization advancement that video message from Andrzej hardly ever happened over such a short time in the world history. Poland and the whole of Central Europe are a fascinating testimony Andrzej Duda Kurnicki, Ambassador of the to opportunities that come with freedom. President of the Republic of Poland Republic of Poland to Canada 22 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES News

women take compared to a politi- cian like me, is it is so exponen- tially more weaponized against women that it’s hard to even com- prehend what that can do to your, your willingness to participate publicly. And that too, is a threat to democracy, because one of the rights that we are given as Parlia- mentarians is the ability to do our work without intimidation.” There has to be “rules that are set down,” said Mr. Angus.

‘The right to free speech is non-negotiable’ According to Conservative MP (Richmond-Arthabas- ka, Que.), his party’s heritage critic, “we believe that it is urgent to do more to combat hate groups and groups that incite violence online.” “Regulation in this area must strike an appropriate balance Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, left, Green Party MP , NDP MP Charlie Angus, and Arif Virani, parliamentary secretary to the justice minister all between dealing with social have opinions about further regulating hateful speech online. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade and courtesy Twitter media content that is illegal and protecting the fundamental rights of Canadians to free speech, free- dom of expression, a free press and due process under the law,” said Mr. Rayes in an email to The ‘Canadians have grown impatient’: Hill Times. “Canada already has criminal law protections in place against publishing hate speech, incitement to violence and sexu- regulation of social media in the ally abusive material.” “These laws should be strong- ly enforced, and can best be enforced by the criminal justice works, but Parliamentarians wary system. We believe that the right to free speech is non-negotiable, and oppose censorship of mate- said Mr. Virani. “People’s patience rial that is not criminal in nature ‘We want to be careful was wearing thin” with the notion of merely because some may find voluntary moderation, said the MP. it to be offensive or politically that we don’t censor The legislation is still being incorrect,” he said. worked out. Edward Greenspon, president people and we want “There’s certain hurdles that and CEO of the Public Policy to be careful that the still need to be crossed with cabi- Forum, said the “forces of regula- net and cabinet decisions,” said tion are gathering in Europe and media giants are not Mr. Virani. in California and in Australia and “These moves by the govern- now in Canada, and they are open censoring people,’ ment are not intended to inhibit to certain forms of regulation— political speech,” said Mr. Virani, tell us what the rules are, tell us says Green MP Paul who was a constitutional lawyer what is hate and is not hate. So Manly. prior to his time in politics. they are trying to find some co- “We want to empower people responsibility on legalities.” to participate in our political dis- Facebook declined to provide course, even at the highest level a comment for this story. Spokes- Continued from page 1 of running for office, so that’s an person Meg Sinclair directed The grown impatient” around regulat- important consideration in terms Hill Times to information around ing hate speech online. NDP MP of what we’re trying to achieve.” the organization’s algorithmic Charlie Angus (Timmins-James transparency as well as it’s over- Bay, Ont.), his party’s ethics critic, sight board, an independent body said, “there have to be rules set Social media a ‘real toxic that judges Facebook’s content down.” decisions and issues binding rul- There’s a distinction between cesspool’, says Green ings on whether it made the right regulation of hate and regulation Party MP Paul Manly decision in allowing or remov- of harmful speech, something “I think social media has ing a specific piece of content or lawmakers will be grappling with become a real toxic cesspool, account. when they turn their attention to and the problem is the way that “As Mark Zuckerberg put it social media giants like Google, algorithms take,” said Green MP when he first outlined his blue- Facebook, and Twitter, among Paul Manly (Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Edward Greenspon, CEO of the , says forces of regulation are print for a new system for content others. B.C.). gathering in Europe and in California and in Australia and now in Canada, "and they governance and enforcement, Heritage Minister Steven “People think that it’s OK to are open to certain forms of regulation." Photograph courtesy of Twitter ‘Facebook should not make so Guilbeault (Laurier-Sainte Marie, say a lot of things on social media many important decisions about Que.) has said that “it is up to that are laced with hate, that are free expression and safety on our elected officials to lead the devel- patently false and misleading.” has showed me the best and some them responsible for the contin- own.’ opment of public policy, and our But Mr. Manly said creating of the worst. Take five minutes to ued spread of hate and violence.” “With our size comes a great government has been very clear legislation around this issue is scroll through my social media According to Mr. Angus, deal of responsibility and while on how we’re going tackle social “fraught with peril.” comments— I don’t recom- “there’s been a steady poisoning we have always taken advice media platforms and web giants, “We want to be careful that we mend!—and you will see some of public conversation that can be from experts on how to best keep and the Canadian heritage team don’t censor people and we want of the most alarming, hateful traced to the power of algorithms our platforms safe, until now, we is providing excellent, evidence- to be careful that the media giants rhetoric,” Ms. McKenna said in to steer people to increasingly have made the final decisions based support in this regard.” are not censoring people,” said an emailed statement to The Hill dissonant and extremist content.” about what should be allowed on “Our government is commit- Mr. Manly. Times. “But I am not a shrinking “That’s certainly Facebook and our platforms and what should ted to regulating digital platforms Catherine McKenna (Ottawa violet and I am fortunate to have it’s definitely YouTube, and that I be removed. And these decisions and putting them to work for Centre, Ont.), said she “got into a platform and a social media think has had profound implica- often are not easy to make—most Canadians, said Mr. Guilbeault politics because I did not like presence that allows me to con- tions for social discourse, and judgments do not have obvious, in front of a heritage committee where our country was heading.” nect with my community and to nowhere more so than the United or uncontroversial, outcomes, and meeting last week. “I wanted to make a differ- speak out when necessary. At States.” yet many of them have significant “The government has been in ence, a goal that I have in com- the same time, the social media “I think this is a huge issue. implications for free expression.” consultations with Canadians on mon with many other women and companies themselves need to And certainly the abuse that [email protected] this issue since the spring of 2020, girls. My experience in politics step up, and we should be holding women and young racialized The Hill Times February 8, 2021 | The Hill Times HEALTH POLICY BRIEFING 24 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Health Policy Briefing Supply delay offers opportunity to get mass vaccination campaign right, experts say

on Moderna shipments past the a little less than 250,000 Astra- to administer vaccines, in theory Prof. Ray said that winter tem- With Canada’s week of Feb. 1 to Feb. 7. Zeneca vaccines, South Korea it should be easier to do than a peratures will act as a constraint. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will receive less than 2.6 million, mass vaccination campaign. “Until May, indoor is perhaps supply of COVID-19 (Papineau, Que.) was pressed in and Indonesia a little more than According to a vaccination better. Perhaps by May there can vaccines dropping Question Period on Feb. 3 on how 13.7 million. tracker by University of Sas- be more of an opportunity for go- much the Moderna supply will be Canada is lagging behind most katchewan student Noah Little, ing outdoors,” he added. below initially affected in weeks to come, but he G7 countries on vaccination pace. 86.4 per cent of vaccines deliv- Accessibility will be another didn’t offer a direct answer. Canada is only doing better than ered to the provinces have been major constraint, Prof. Nagarajan expected numbers He was visibly frustrated by Japan, which has not begun its administered. That varies wildly said. the questions. vaccination campaign yet. The depending on the jurisdiction, “You want to have an equitable in the coming weeks, “I have already said this 15 country plans to begin vaccina- with Nunavut having adminis- measure. You don’t want people to times in Question Period today, tions for health-care workers in tered just more than half of its be driving 40 miles to come to a experts argue this but I am happy to continue reas- late February, and priority groups vaccines, while Quebec, B.C., and stadium,” he said. period presents an suring Canadians. We will receive like seniors in late March or early Saskatchewan have administered Many schools and major the six million doses promised April. upwards of 90 per cent. stadiums, like NHL arenas, will opportunity to ensure by the end of March. We are on NDP health critic The tracker shows that 871,323 only be available for mass vac- track to receive 20 million doses ( Kingsway, B.C.) said Canadians have received at least cinations in the summer once the the mass-vaccination in the spring and we will ensure he does not have confidence in one dose, while 129,664 Canadi- regular occupants are out, Prof. that every Canadian who wants Mr. Trudeau’s statements that all ans are fully vaccinated. Ray said, but that shouldn’t stop campaign runs it can be vaccinated by the end of Canadians will be vaccinated by For all Canadians to receive the planning from starting now, smoothly. September 2021,” he said. September. at least one dose by Sept. 1, a Prof. Zwerling said. “The week of [Feb. 22] will also Schools are particularly well be impacted, but Moderna cannot suited, because the location is confirm allocations for that week based on population density, Prof. BY AIDAN CHAMANDY yet,” the PHAC document said. Zwerling said. Major sporting Mr. Trudeau also previously arenas and concert venues are of- ssues with COVID-19 vaccine assured Canadians that the first ten only in major cities and might Imanufacturing in Europe has delay won’t affect the total num- not be in a place that is easily ac- left Canada receiving fewer doses ber of vaccines the country is sup- cessible, “so I’m not sure if those in recent weeks than the federal posed receive in the first quarter. are really the best approaches to government initially predicted, “This temporary delay doesn’t doing these mass vaccinations,” but the drop in supply offers an change the fact that we will still she said. opportunity for governments to receive two million doses of the Prof. Zwerling cautioned get the planning right for when Moderna vaccine before the end against relying too heavily on big mass vaccinations begin later in of March,” he told reporters at a buildings. the year when supply ramps up press conference last week, in “Successful mass vaccina- again, experts say. reference to the initial cutback. tions in the past have employed “We should use this time, Canada is also set to re- and engaged pharmacists, family, when supply is low and demand ceive far fewer doses of the doctors, local clinics, a much is restricted to certain sectors of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine after more decentralized approach, as the population, to make ourselves the company began retooling its opposed to having one central- ready for the mass vaccination,” manufacturing plant in Belgium ized facility that requires logisti- said Saibal Ray, professor of to produce more vaccines. The Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, right, and Deputy Chief Public Health Officer cal support and infrastructure, operations management at McGill company said the renovations Howard Njoo, pictured on Dec. 8, 2020, speaking with reporters about the which, unfortunately has not been University. will cut Canadian shipments by government’s vaccine rollout. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade developed,” she said. “We have an opportunity now, around 80 per cent, but that the Another key component will all governments, to learn the renovations will allow them to be the information technology lessons from the initial rollout, produce around two billion total “Given that they have failed little more 200 days away, around infrastructure used to coordinate see where the challenges are, but vaccines in 2021, up from the to meet any of the targets that 180,000 Canadians will need to scheduling mass vaccinations really prepare for the summer initial promise of 1.3 billion. Mr. they’ve stated so far, and, frankly, receive at least one dose per day, and following up, Dr. Wilson when we’re going to have to start Trudeau said he discussed the the fact that they’ve misled Ca- which far outstrips the current said. administering millions of doses,” possibility of Canada receiving nadians and actually been wrong pace. In the past three weeks, “The ideal system will have the said Kumanan Wilson, a professor more Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines so many times, that can’t give Canada’s daily vaccinations vaccine recipient, the health-care of epidemiology at the University in the second quarter after Pfizer anybody confidence,” he said. peaked at just less than 40,000 on provider and the public health of Ottawa and doctor at The Otta- CEO Albert Bourla told him in a “There’s a serious credibility Jan. 20 and have dropped to just provider with the same data in wa Hospital. Dr. Wilson is also the call that the company could “move problem,” he added. more than 15,000 on Feb. 3, ac- real time and shareable. The in- founder and CEO of CANImmu- up the delivery of some doses that The lack of vaccine supply is cording to the vaccination tracker. dividual has to be part of the solu- nize, a digital logistics company were earmarked for later in the making is difficult to gauge how By the time the vaccine supply tion, they have to be able to have that has helped some provinces year.” effective Canada’s actual vaccine steadies, the mass vaccination access to their vaccine records. and territories with information Maj.-Gen. Fortin later said that rollout has been, Dr. Wilson said. plans should already be in place And health-care providers need to technology infrastructure associ- Pfizer is expected to send up to Canada’s limited vaccine supply “so that when we come to April know exactly which vaccine this ated with the rollout. 335,000 doses the week of Feb. 15, “is making it really hard to judge and the most vulnerable have individual is given, that individual Both Pfizer/BioNTech and which is 91 per cent of the initial right now how we’re doing. It’s already been vaccinated, and we needs to be able to report adverse Moderna products, the only two allocation for that period. The apparent that the systems need to go to vaccinate a more general events as they would occur,” he vaccines currently approved for shipment is expected to increase be further developed. It’s a bit of a population, we can do the mass said. use in Canada, announced deliv- to up to 395,000 doses the week of double-edged sword, that the delay vaccination as quickly as pos- Dr. Wilson said one of the key ery delays in the past weeks. Feb. 22. getting our vaccine is an opportunity sible,” said Prof. Ray. things he learned in running trials Canada is expected to receive The Health Canada website to be better prepared,” Dr. Wilson said. Prof. Ray pointed to sites like using his CANImmunize platform around 180,000 shots of the Mod- also removed the table outlining “We have not had the volume the Palais des Congrès in Montre- and from other jurisdictions is erna vaccine in the second week Pfizer’s shipments. [of vaccines] that a country like al as prime targets for mass vac- that effective scheduling “is one of of February, down from an initial The global vaccine-sharing ini- the United States has had where cinations. Quebec Health Minister the most important aspects. The promise of more than 230,000. A tiative COVAX released a docu- we know how good our logistical Christian Dubé said the conven- scheduling processes really sped Jan. 29 document prepared by the ment on Feb. 3 showing Canada systems are actually working,” tion centre is ready to administer up the clinic management.” Public Health Agency of Canada will receive 1.9 million doses of said Mahesh Nagarajan, profes- more than 1,000 doses per day. “It helps from two perspec- obtained by CBC News said the the AstraZeneca vaccine by the sor of logistics at the University Prof. Ray said in the com- tives. Booking online is easy, but second shipment pegged for the end of June. The COVAX program of British Columbia. ing months, when winter is still you can also start to auto-popu- week of Feb. 22 will also be af- was created with the intention of For Alice Zwerling, an epide- keeping temperatures low, indoor late the data needed at the time fected, but the company cannot providing equitable access to the miologist at the University of Ot- sites that haven’t had much of vaccination when the person confirm to what extent. The docu- vaccine for middle- and lower- tawa, the lack of transparency on traffic because of the pandemic, fills in that data. So the vaccina- ment was signed by Maj.-Gen. income countries. Canada is one vaccination targets and how long like convention centres, malls, tion is so much quicker—there’s Dany Fortin, who is in charge of of the wealthiest countries, and it has taken to vaccinate people in universities, hockey arenas, and not much data entry at the point federal vaccine logistics. Moderna the only G7 country, listed as a priority groups, like those in long- concert venues will be extremely of vaccination, because already was originally set to send 249,000 recipient in the document. It also term care homes, suggests the important. most of the information is auto doses doses the week of Feb. 22. A shows other wealthy countries rollout “has not been ideal.” “Anything that is covered, populated,” he said. table on Health Canada’s website are set to draw on the COVAX She said that given long-term empty, and accessible we should [email protected] no longer provides information supply. New Zealand will receive care homes provide a single site use,” he said. The Hill Times

26 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Health Policy Briefing No time to waste on health-care reforms

Green Party leader Annamie Paul, pictured, says that addressing the structural weaknesses in health care, rather than merely reacting to each crisis as it arises, is the best strategy going forward. Photograph courtesy of the

outbreak. While we will be reckon- crisis affects both long-term care how to provide the right support addictions. We must also priori- It is not too late for ing with this pandemic and its residents, staff, and the loved ones where it is most needed. tize the expansion of rehabilita- accompanying health-care failures who provide essential care. This is If we are serious about ad- tion services. A harm-reduction Canada to convene for some time, we must still begin a humanitarian crisis, and there is dressing health-care shortcom- approach is the only way to planning for the future. Modern- overwhelming consensus among ings in Canada more broadly, we address this emergency and save an intergovernmental izing our health-care systems experts on what needs to be done. cannot overlook the skyrocketing lives. COVID-19 task force, should be high on the agenda, and The short-term solutions to costs of pharmaceuticals. Canada A through-line of the conver- the federal government can and our LTC crisis are clear, imple- is the only country with a univer- sation about health in Canada led by health experts, should lead the way. mentable, and would have an sal medicare system that does not is mental health. The COVID-19 As we continue to grapple with immediate positive effect on include doctor-prescribed medica- pandemic has negatively im- to develop and Canada’s greatest health crisis in reducing deaths: accelerated vac- tion, and one in three Canadians pacted many Canadians’ mental over a century, there is no time to cination, rapid testing, increased is forced to pay for their prescrip- health, straining an already deliver a coordinated waste. The Green Party has asked staffing, improved training and tions. To achieve lifesaving goals, overburdened mental healthcare national response to the prime minister to convene pay for workers, and four hours and economies of scale, we must network. Establishing a national an intergovernmental COVID-19 of regulated daily care for each establish a national universal mental health strategy is com- the pandemic task force, led by health experts, resident. We need an urgent first pharmacare program, a bulk drug mon sense—we need to address to develop and deliver a coordi- ministers’ meeting to agree on a purchasing agency, and shorter the very real stressors plaguing nated national response to the plan to end the mounting deaths patent protection times for new Canadians such as inequality and BY GREEN PARTY LEADER pandemic. Countries that have in long-term care that includes drugs. The drug assessment affordability, the precariousness ANNAMIE PAUL been more successful in protect- the immediate implementation process must be free of conflicts of work and housing, the climate ing their populations have adopt- of these recommendations. There of interest, and bulk purchases crisis, social isolation, and the he COVID-19 pandemic has ed such an approach, including should not be one more death in of prescription drugs must be trauma and anxiety the pandemic Ttaught us painful lessons the new president of the United long-term care facilities caused evidence-based. has caused. A suicide prevention about the weaknesses in Can- States, who appointed a national by inaction and lack of political The opioid crisis is a national plan and immediate investments ada’s health-care system. Low- COVID-19 coordination team on leadership. tragedy that has skyrocketed in both community-based service income and racialized communi- his first day in office. It is not too Throughout the past year, we during the COVID-19 pandemic. organizations and provincial and ties have been disproportionately late for Canada to do the same. have been reminded of the impor- From 2016-2020, nearly 18,000 municipal mental health services impacted, as have seniors and the When we search for answers tance of evidence in guiding public Canadians died from opioid are a critical first step. disabled. on why the pandemic’s death toll health decisions—a standard that overdose, many of which were The COVID-19 pandemic has More than ever, the current cri- in Canada continues to rise, one should be adopted well beyond due to fentanyl contamination. We highlighted health issues, but sis demonstrates why preventive answer stands out: conditions in this pandemic. Science and data need to declare a national health they are unfortunately not new. health care plans are best made in long-term care facilities. More than have been critical to understand- emergency to address the opioid Addressing the structural weak- ordinary times, rather than in the 80 per cent of Canada’s COVID-19 ing how different communities crisis as a health-care issue, not nesses in health care, rather than middle of a crisis with all the ad- deaths have been in long-term are impacted by the pandemic. We a criminal issue. Drug posses- merely reacting to each crisis as it ditional pressures it brings. Health care, and Canada ranks second must collect socio-demographic sion should be decriminalized, arises, is the best strategy. promotion and disease prevention amongst wealthy countries for the data in government-funded re- and users should have access to a Annamie Paul is the leader of in times of stability are the best proportion of COVID-19 deaths search moving forward in order to screened supply and the medical the Green Party of Canada. preparation for times of crisis or in long-term care facilities. This make evidence-based decisions on support they need to combat their The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 27 Policy BriefingHealth Why healthy aging must be the upshot of the COVID-19 pandemic

In contrast to a common misperception, days of the pandemic inadvertently fuelled volunteer work. Those aged 65 and up It would be in everyone’s best aging alone isn’t what sidelines older people— ageist attitudes. In its most extreme form, volunteered 223 hours a year, well above frailty is. While aging is inevitable, frailty is not. some people wrongly concluded that the the national average of 156 hours. In 2012, interest to focus now on ways Frailty is defined as a medical condition economy should not have to shut down just baby boomers and senior adults clocked of reduced function and health; it becomes to prevent the virus from killing the eldest one billion volunteer hours. to prevent frailty by investing more common as we age. Frailty increases members of society. After all, this demo- This informal support is a gift to commu- in policies that ensure healthy vulnerability to disease, resulting in the graphic contributes the least, right? nities and is especially true in rural Canada need for intensive and costly health-care From both a moral and economic stand- where the loss of a community-minded el- aging for all Canadians. interventions. Today, 1.6 million Canadians point, this is a deeply flawed viewpoint. ders often leaves an unrepairable social gap. live with some form of frailty. In 10 years, More and more, out of choice or In strictly fiscal terms, Canadians aged it will be 2.5 million. necessity, healthy older Canadians are 65 and older also have money to spend. Living within the guardrails of a pan- remaining engaged in paid labour beyond Many continue to benefit from earnings- demic has aged everyone. And we are get- conventional retirement age. In 2010, 14 based retirement plans and other progres- ting a glimpse into how the seeds of frailty per cent of people 55 and over were active sive senior-focused social and financial are sown—through loneliness and isolation, in the labour force. By 2031, this number is policies launched in the late 20th century. loss of structure and routine, mental and expected to rise to almost double. Older Canadians are an economic pil- emotional stress, physical exhaustion, loss More recently, we also saw experienced lar, one that will crumble in the absence of freedom and a sense of control, disrup- health-care workers risking their lives by of supports for healthy aging that enable tions in eating and sleeping habits, weight coming out of retirement to work on the people to remain active and engaged in gain, muscle loss and deferring routine front lines of the pandemic. their communities. John Muscedere medical appointments to avoid the virus. The unpaid labour of this age-group The past year has been a valuable lesson Opinion Our response to the global pandemic often goes unrecognized. A life of accu- on the importance of nurturing our func- now, and in the coming years, should mulated skills and knowledge is poured tional ability, especially in older people. Let’s include robust policies for healthy aging freely into raising funds for community turn insight into action. It would be in every- ast month, while the world was distracted by which in large part are composed of strate- projects and organizations, coordinating one’s best interest to focus now on ways to Lpolitical turmoil and the pandemic’s roaring gies to address these contributors to frailty. events, caring for children in the absence prevent frailty by investing in policies that second wave, a very significant proclamation Most COVID-related deaths in Canada to of childcare options, coaching sports and ensure healthy aging for all Canadians. came and went with little fanfare. The United date have occurred in people over the age of passing knowledge and skills on to young John Muscedere is the scientific director Nations General Assembly launched 2020-2030 70. It’s a glaring statistic—one that, left unfil- people. Or even worse, we sideline these and CEO of the Canadian Frailty Network as the Decade of Healthy Ageing, calling for a tered, might prejudice people’s understand- skills by not putting in place ways that we (CFN) and a professor in the School of Med- decade of concerted global action to extend the ing about this age group and its capacity. can better harness this experience. icine at Queen’s University and an intensiv- health and well-being horizons of the world’s Persistent news coverage about the Statistics Canada reported that, in ist at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. one billion people over the age of 60. vulnerability of older people in the early 2013-14, 36 per cent of seniors performed The Hill Times

WHY NOT CHIROPRACTORS? Hundreds of thousands of Canadians rely on chiropractors to assess, diagnose, and treat spine, muscle and nervous In December 2018, the House of Commons system conditions. This includes Standing Committee on Finance acknowledged this back, neck, and knee pain, as oversight and recommended that the government well as osteoarthritis. But unlike address it by amending the Income Tax Act. other primary care providers, chiropractors are not authorized Budget 2021 offers an opportunity to close this to assess and certify the gap and streamline access for eligible patients. Disability Tax Credit. That needs to change. 28 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Health Policy Briefing Vaccination, trust in science and patience is the only way out of this pandemic

As Canada's vaccine when they become eligible. We nurses, we also urged governments across Canada to want to speed up the rollout of the vaccine, espe- encourage all cially to those most likely to experience those living severe illness, such as seniors, Indigenous in Canada people and racialized people—all of whom to receive have been shown to be most at risk of the vaccine infection. as soon as Nurses have also signalled that they they are able. are ready and willing to step up and help Together, we the government with the vaccine rollout can contain by joining health care teams at vaccina- this virus, end tion clinics across Canada. While the news the pandemic of some delays in delivery of the Pfizer and take part vaccine may give us pause, governments in Canada’s must strive to speed up the immunization post-pandemic and rapidly increase the number of clinics recovery, writes where the vaccine is available. This is how Linda Silas. we will contain this virus and counter its Image courtesy spread. of Pixabay What’s also been lacking in Canada’s vaccine delivery program is evidence- based information. Within this vacuum, misinformation, vaccine myths and mis- trust have thrived. Sadly, many Canadians are hesitant to get vaccinated, particularly among marginalized communities who, we recognize, have all too often experienced negative interactions with the medical community. As nurses, we believe that any risk posed by the vaccine is far outweighed by the benefits in being protected from COVID-19. As with any other medical treatment, informed consent is required. It’s our job, We will need Canadians to as health professionals, to provide facts— and yes, empathy—when patients express Novel roll up their sleeves and concerns about being vaccinated. Every- Diagnostics get vaccinated. But we will one who gets the vaccine must understand the benefits of immunization, as well as also need to be patient. any potential risks. All Canadians should be empowered to make an informed deci- Immunizing the country sion. Some individuals have expressed con- Therapeutics won’t happen overnight. cerns about the record turnaround time for these vaccines. Producing multiple It will be an incremental vaccines in less than a year was the result process informed by science of a momentous global effort, harnessing the ingenuity of a scientific community and one that seeks to united in a common objective. Large-scale trials on the efficacy of vaccines involved Canada’s Vaccines immediately stem the loss tens of thousands of participants, includ- ing many from diverse backgrounds. The life sciences of life. trials resulted in high rates of protection with few or no reported serious adverse companies. events. Despite the compressed time- lines, no shortcuts were taken: the same standards were applied to these vaccines as for any other vaccines that have been Where discovering developed. In Canada, we know the approval solutions essential to process by Health Canada is safe and ef- fective; their assessment of scientific and our health and economy clinical evidence is done independently and is known to be stringent. We also know is the new normal. Linda Silas that historically, immunization programs Opinion have saved countless lives worldwide. The COVID-19 vaccines approved thus far The research Canada’s life sciences companies are doing is have the potential to provide much-needed COVID-free future is within our reach, protection against the continued spread laying the groundwork for novel diagnostics, vaccines and Aa future where it’s safe to hug again of the SARS-CoV-2 virus but this will only and where our smiles no longer need to be happen if sufficient numbers choose to be therapeutics. Canada has built an extraordinary knowledge hidden behind a mask. To get there, we will vaccinated. infrastructure, and we must not lose momentum in making need a robust vaccination drive. We will As Canada’s nurses, we want to encour- need Canadians to roll up their sleeves and age all those living in Canada to receive our country a global life sciences leader. get vaccinated. But we will also need to the vaccine as soon as they are able. be patient. Immunizing the country won’t Together, we can contain this virus, end the happen overnight. It will be an incremental pandemic and take part in Canada’s post- Get updates about our process informed by science and one that pandemic recovery. essential work at seeks to immediately stem the loss of life. Linda Silas is a nurse and president of Earlier this month, the Canadian Fed- the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, canadalifesciences.ca eration of Nurses Unions encouraged all representing nearly 200,000 nurses and health-care workers, all essential work- student nurses across the country. ers and the general public to receive the The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 29 Policy BriefingHealth What’s up (or down) with drug shortages?

portation of drugs that may not fully meet effectively legislating a rollback in income. a statement recommending several actions, Our chronic shortages and regulatory requirements in order to protect The policy eventually melted away. including more domestic production. supplies of threatened medications. Why Unlike more than 100 other countries, Our chronic shortages and the current the current vaccine situation is the Canadian medication supply chain Canada still does not have an essential vaccine situation remind us to ask why remind us to ask why must so fragile that we needed this stop gap medicines list (EML)—critical medications must we be buffeted about by unpredict- measure? Another interim order came in for which the government is mandated to able shortages, originating elsewhere we be buffeted about by late November 2020 to protect vulnerable protect supply, much in the same way as and often impacting well-established yet stocks from American poaching the recent interim orders aspire to do. At critical products, the recipes for which are unpredictable shortages, Without a national strategy for respond- least one Canadian team is working on neither secret nor protected. In the face of ing to shortages, pharmacists initially resort- developing an EML, but the effort is not yet pandemic threats to our medication supply, originating elsewhere ed to invoking the tried-and-true mechanism recognized by our government. Nor does Canada has shown it can take temporary of restricting dispensed quantities to 30 days. Canada do much to understand the extent steps to protect our most critical medicines. and often impacting well But they encountered outrage and political and impact of shortages. It does not ana- Shouldn’t we now move to properly and established yet critical interference. Citizens, especially those out lyze the shortages, year-by-year, month-by- permanently secure our supply with a na- of work, objected to paying extra dispensing month, or by type, to uncover whether or tional essential medicines list and revival products, the recipes for fees and to the inconvenience and risk of not its feeble policy gestures are making of our own industry? more frequent trips to the pharmacy. Some any difference. And, as the public has be- Jacalyn Duffin, MD PhD, is professor which are neither secret nor provinces opted to cover the extra fees, but come painfully aware, Canada lost its own, emerita at Queen’s University, and Jon pharmacists were shocked when various once robust drug- and vaccine-making Pipitone, MD, MSc, is a resident in psychia- protected. provincial governments intervened, ordering capacity long ago. Even the Ontario Medi- try at Queen’s University. an end to the practice or canceling extra fees, cal Association has exceptionally released The Hill Times BY JACALYN DUFFIN & JON PIPITONE

ith complaints and fears swirling Waround COVID-19 vaccine supply, we take up our devices once again to report on drug shortages in Canada. When we last communicated in Hill Times back in April 2020, Canada had already spent a decade facing severe shortages of prescription drugs. We argued that COVID-19 might ex- Mental Health and Economic Parity for Canada acerbate those shortages and, at the same time, serve as a wake-up call to get to the bottom of the problem. he COVID pandemic has exposed our vulnerability -- This past year, the pandemic has touched the lives of every Alas, nothing much has happened. not just to the threat of emerging pathogens, but also single Canadian. Through this, we have witnessed global Today, Canada reports more than 1,500 to our inability to face the threat while maintaining the suffering matched by rapid responses from governments actual drug shortages. The good news is economic and mental health of our nation. around the world. This has also highlighted the lack of pre- that this number is 400 fewer than last TSocial workers see it every day: even prior to the COVID emptive action on behalf of Canada’s government to move on April. The bad news is that no matter how you look at it, it is still a shocking number, pandemic, the mental health of our nation was steadily the desperate need for universal economic and mental health and worse, it is misleading. Our national declining -- and without visionary leadership by all political parity. shortage database is woefully thin, as it parties, the road to recovery will leave many behind. The The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW), doesn’t account for provincial, regional or hospital-level shortages. We also wonder time has come to stop reacting with short-term solutions alongside many of our colleagues from other health and if the decline since April is more apparent and to make the permanent changes necessary to meet the social professions, are bitterly disappointed that the federal than real. After all, in that same time, 197 challenges of this new normal. Canada must lead the world government has failed to provide the visionary leadership so drugs were reported to be discontinued, by adopting a Universal Basic Income and legislating Mental many Canadians call for, and are dismayed -- and, frankly, and 330 drugs were cancelled post-market. Health Parity, so we may not only recover, but thrive. mystified -- that the official opposition has not used this If a drug is no longer on the market, it opportunity to present the kind of bold ideas required to actually is not “in shortage”—it remains utterly Even at the best of times, it is illogical and ineffective to rely change conditions in our country. unavailable. Additionally, over the last on corporate Canada to lead the way on mental health. Long two years, nearly a third of our shortages before COVID, cracks were showing in Canada’s piecemeal The time has come to no longer rely on corporate Canada involve medications that we would deem and largely privatized mental health services: individuals to lead the way. To truly end stigma and the lack of access critical or “essential”, priority medicines and associations, like ours, have been urging the federal to mental health services, the , in needed for effective function of a basic health-care system: items such as antibiot- government to make change. collaboration with all national political parties and Indigenous ics (cefalexin, amoxicillin), common heart And now, COVID has only intensified the existing ‘shadow leaders, must lead the way and champion mental health and medications (amlodipine, ramipril, can- pandemics’ of skyrocketing opioid-related deaths, escalating economic parity. desartan). These individual shortages are domestic and intimate partner violence, and growing income numerous and long-lasting. Early in the pandemic, Canada did ex- inequality. Social Workers have consistently called for a perience temporary shortages of drugs for Universal Basic Income and for Mental Health Parity in Canada managing COVID-19 symptoms and ICU because they know how gaping the holes in our ‘safety net’ patients needing intubation—epinephrine, really are. Now, they are witnessing, and experiencing first midazolam, propofol, phenylephrine, etc. hand, the compounding effects of the COVID pandemic on And like the hydroxychloroquine example their clients’ and their own families and communities. of last spring (when Donald Trump’s evidence-free claims spawned panic buy- Mental Health Parity requires creating a system that supports ing and shortages for those who relied on mental health care equal to physical health care. Adopting it), shortages have emerged in Canada (and Mental Health Parity right now will force the system change elsewhere) for every remedy, old or new, required to support the long-term recovery of our nation with thought to be helpful in the pandemic: rem- the same urgency and resources as we have for physical desivir, dexamethasone, ivermectin and os- eltamivir. Possibly we’ll soon see the same health. for the ancient gout treatment, colchicine, recently reported effective by researchers at the Université de Montreal. Numerous American and European studies have documented the negative impact of shortages on patient outcomes Joan Davis-Whelan, and health-care budgets. But the reasons MSW, RSW for shortages, according to manufacturers, President reveals a pattern, dominated by manufac- turing disruptions, that has gone basically Canadian Association unchanged during the pandemic. of Social Workers In March 2020, the minister of health signed an interim order to monitor poten- tial and actual shortages and allow im- 30 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Health Policy Briefing

If the disaster and sustain the data analytics that has infrastructure needed to lever- befallen long- age AI. Believe it or not, patients term care in who go to these hospitals already Canada during benefit from the use of data ana- the COVID-19 lytics tools that aren’t available pandemic elsewhere. has taught us It may surprise some to learn anything, it is there are hospitals where AI is that we must already in use. These are research demand greater hospitals though, so we should oversight and expect that they will take risks accountability as they try to innovate. What we in health care, need to focus on now is ensuring particularly that these AI tools can be equi- when already tably integrated across different disadvantaged sites. Failing to ensure equitable communities access to these tools that can help might be us to personalize health care will impacted by only serve to exacerbate already our decisions, existing inequalities. writes Ian Because we do not yet have Stedman. Image an explicit regulatory pathway in courtesy of place, health-care AI in Canada Pexels.com is being developed and deployed in an ad hoc, site-by-site man- ner. Hospitals are taking it upon themselves to determine what AI is needed and how to conduct fairness assessments, mitigate risk from bias, ensure equitable access, demonstrate accountabil- ity to stakeholders, integrate AI tools into care, and generally earn the public trust needed to deploy AI in the hospital. Recognizing that a laissez- fair approach to health-care AI is inadequate, a task force convened by CIFAR published a report in July 2020 called, “Building a Learning Health System for Ca- nadians.” In this report, the task force calls for the development of a national strategy and a “col- laborative vision for AI for health in Canada.” A national strategy is needed to address things like inter-provincial data sharing, ethical protocols for developing Maybe artificial intelligence and deploying AI, and consen- sus frameworks that can help accelerate the design of regula- tory standards in order to ensure accountability for how healthcare will drastically change health AI is implemented. Meaningful oversight could also help us focus on ensuring that healthcare AI is deployed across many different sites, rather than only being able care, but who will benefit? to benefit patients at a select few hospitals. If the disaster that has befallen privacy, but if governments want printing, and genome editing. The long-term care in Canada during Our federal and provincial governments taxpayers to buy in to the great question should no longer be if, the COVID-19 pandemic has hope of an advanced AI economy, but how can we use AI to help us taught us anything, it is that we have proven they can unite around issues of then they also need to be clear effectively and equitably person- must demand greater oversight about what that economy might alize our health-care systems? and accountability in health care, national importance in health care and they look like and how Canadians To build a personalized health- particularly when already dis- must do so again if we are going to have any stand to benefit. The content of care system we will need to advantaged communities might our modernized privacy laws will collect, store, and analyze more be impacted by our decisions. chance of AI playing the role many believe it send clear signals about where data than we ever have. Not just It is not good enough to allow our governments think AI has the patients’ personal health infor- health-care AI to develop in what can in helping us move toward personalized most potential to benefit society. mation, but also data about how is effectively a leadership and At present, the idea that AI socio-economic factors can have regulatory vacuum. Our federal health care. has the potential to improve our an impact on patient experiences and provincial governments have everyday lives is perhaps most and health trajectories. We will proven they can unite around the country’s economic future. widely acknowledged within the also need to make deeper invest- issues of national importance Major investments have attracted health-care space. We have long ments into building and sustain- in health care and they must do more computer scientists to our heard from people affected by ing the infrastructure, the talent, so again if we are going to have post-secondary institutions and rare diseases, for example, that the tools, the policies, the regula- any chance of AI playing the role have benefitted the private sector we need a more personalized tory oversight, etc., needed for many believe it can in helping us by opening up a growing pool of approach to health care because a personalized, learning health- move toward personalized health AI talent. If we want to build this one size does not in fact fit all. care system. care. data-driven economy in a respon- By using AI in health care we But did you know that artifi- Ian Stedman is an assistant sible manner, however, then we will be better able to predict and cial intelligence is already being professor of Canadian public law also need to protect Canadians by prevent disease, to make quicker used in some Canadian hospitals? & governance in the School of Ian Stedman modernizing our information and diagnoses, to understand disease Many computer scientists Public Policy and Administration Opinion privacy laws. progression and even to discover who were inspired to pursue an at York University. He also serves But as we move to strengthen new therapies that could improve education and build their career on York University’s Artificial our privacy laws, we must also patient outcomes. It may also in Canada are working in labs Intelligence & Society Task Force overnments across Canada pay close attention to the impact be possible for AI to operate in that are connected to research and sits as a legal member of the Ghave signalled that they those strengthened laws have on conjunction with other new and hospitals. Some of these hospi- research ethics board at the Hos- believe artificial intelligence AI innovation. We should not pri- emerging technologies like DNA tals also have foundations that pital for Sick Children in Toronto. will play an important role in oritize unbridled innovation over sequencing, gene therapy, bio- are fundraising in order to build The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 31 Policy BriefingHealth Aging? What’s to be done?

much less expensive health-support services nomic circumstances, continuing with the The pandemic is exposing needed to meet the needs of most seniors. same policy choices defies comprehension. That Canadians are living longer is good First, as COVID-19 has made clear, care- many cracks in Canada’s news. What’s not to like about living to a ripe homes are both expensive and dangerous old age provided you can age well—happily places; some 80 per cent of deaths in the first already porous seniors’ care settled in housing appropriate to your needs, wave in Canada were in LTC-homes. Second, system. We don’t have much with a stimulating social life with old friends they are not where our senior citizens want and new, where you can pursue an active, to be. Third, the numbers make it clear that time to fix the problem, so lifestyle, and have available the reliable sup- continuing with our warehousing propen- port and care needed to maintain the activi- sity is just not on; the care-home beds that we better get started. ties of daily living and robust good health? would be required is simply beyond what we Minster of Seniors , pictured on the The problem is that it is not easy to meet could afford. And fourth, adding together the Hill on Sept. 25, 2020, is tasked with working with those provisos in Canada. Relative to many capital and ongoing operating cost of institu- provincial and territorial governments to manage other countries, notably Japan, Denmark, tional accommodation and care to the resi- long term care issues stemming from the pandemic. and others noted for enabling seniors to age dents, their families, and to the public purse, The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade happily and well, Canada and its provinces exceeds by far what it would cost to provide and territories do not score well. We spend an extended range of seniors’ needs through the 2017 budget in which it was proposed to far less on long-term care overall and dis- beefed-up home and community support invest $6-billion over 10 years for home care proportionally much more on institutional services. That will be expensive too, but it’s and the fall 2020 fiscal statement with its ($6) than on home and community ($1) care, an approach that would both help seniors offer under conditions of $1-billion between the reverse of comparable ratios in Den- age well, certainly better than at present, and this year and next for long-term care. The mark and other leading nations. There, the one that our country could afford. provincial and territorial governments at Don Drummond & Duncan Sinclair predominant policy thrust is not to institu- What do we need to do to get to it? the very least have to refocus their policy Opinion tionalize or, crudely, “warehouse” seniors, but Governments have to work together, objectives from institutionalization to ageing to facilitate their “aging in place.” Canadian federal, provincial and territorial, and in place and work with one another and the seniors, like others, strongly prefer to retain municipalities, given latter’s funding of federal government, with the provinces and ome 60 years ago, about the time the last their independence and to age in place for so many community services out of the territories, on the development of appropriate Sof the baby boomers were being born, as long as possible in their own homes and property tax base and the charitable giving national standards and with municipalities on people over 65 made up about 7.5 per cent communities with the support of an ex- of the residents. their implementation and enforcement. of Canada’s population. Now they are 17.5 panded range of home care and community Solutions and their implementation are And we have to hurry! The problem is per cent and will be nearly 25 per cent (10.8 support services with which they are familiar primarily under provincial and territorial real, here right now, and time is short. million) in twenty years. And they are living and comfortable. Ironically, meeting their ownership, apart from our Indigenous com- Don Drummond is the Stauffer-Dunning longer. Currently the fastest growing cohort preferences would be much cheaper for both munities where the feds are on the hook. The Fellow at Queen’s University. He is a former are centenarians, people over 100. Soon the the affected seniors and for the public purse; federal government must decide what role senior official at Finance Canada and the majority will be 75 and over, at ages when daily care in a hospital costs upwards of $850 it wants to carve out in facilitating a coor- chief economist at TD Bank. Duncan Sinclair the manageable but incurable chronic dis- to $950, in an LTC-home $150 or more, and dinated response to a problem that is both is an adjunct professor and distinguished fel- eases of old age make necessary more costly with support and care at home about $45. bigger and will extend well beyond what was low at Queen’s University and a member of and frequent hospitalizations and physi- Given the still building wave of aging foreseen in the 2015 election platform and the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. cians’ services, health care as opposed to the seniors and the Canada’s foreseeable eco- its promise of $3-billion over four years, and The Hill Times

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parliamentary standing commit- tee recommended a designated Pandemic exposing critical gaps health workforce agency, and this call was endorsed across all par- ties and by several stakeholder organizations that provided testimony to the committee. Since in health workforce planning then, almost nothing has hap- pened on this front. the population. Increasingly, human resource. We need to ad- in older adult care and mental The absence of central coor- Burnout was far health workers are significantly vance health workforce science in health care—two sectors heavily dination and implementation of reducing their hours worked, Canada now. impacted by the pandemic. integrated health workforce data, too common in the just to cope, or leaving their jobs Canada lags behind compa- What we need are a standard analytics and planning activities, healthcare workforce altogether. rable OECD countries, including set of data across a broader range combined with diffuse governance That was before the pandemic. the U.K., Australia and the U.S. of health workers in support of responsibilities inherent in a fed- before the pandemic. With COVID-19, we are witness- on big data analytics and a digital inter-professional and inter-juris- erated health system leave us with ing levels of stress, overload and research infrastructure that dictional planning. blurred lines of responsibility and COVID-19 has made burnout among health workers would give us vital information Ideally these data would be poorly coordinated efforts. previously unimaginable. for health workforce planning. collected uniformly, include diver- Other countries have managed it much worse. Poor Downstream responses of Significant gaps in our knowl- sity (racial, Indigenous and more to overcome these challenges. mindfulness and free access to edge have caused serious system- inclusive gender identity), and Now that the pandemic has made health workforce psychotherapy, albeit helpful, ic risks for planners to manage address practice characteristics the need crystal clear, Canada no planning is to blame. are at best band-aid solutions. during this health crisis. (e.g., setting, scope and service longer has any excuse. We have to look upstream to the Absent timely and relevant capacity). These data should The federal ministers of health, source of the crisis. health workforce data, decision- also be linked to relevant patient labour, and innovation need to Health worker burnout is makers cannot optimally deploy information, including healthcare make the health workforce data directly linked to poor health health workers to where, when utilization and outcome data. infrastructure a top priority. The workforce planning. That we and how they are most needed. As Robust data would allow us to pandemic may be the impetus continue to operate our health a result, health workforce plan- better understand the range and that enables us to make necessary system blindfolded to very basic ning activities across Canada re- characteristics of health workers significant advances in health data about our systems key main ad hoc, sporadic and siloed, caring for patients, the types of workforce data infrastructure. resource—its health workers—is generating significant costs and care they provide and the out- We need to stop simply clap- remarkable. inefficiencies. The consequences comes experienced by patients. ping our hands in support of Health workers account for include everything from sub-opti- Right now, we are making deci- health workers—and start plan- more than 10 per cent of all em- mal health workforce utilization sions in the dark, without using ning to create better workforce Ivy Lynn Bourgeault ployed Canadians and over two- and poor population health out- essential data that most other de- conditions for them. Let’s make Opinion thirds of all health care spending, comes to health worker burnout. veloped nations have had for years. improved health workforce sci- not including the personal and What data do we have? So how do we get there? ence in Canada a key legacy in public costs for their training. The data we have are profes- Canada needs a more robust support of our health care work- ealth workers in Canada This amounts to $175-billion sion-specific and say little about and centrally coordinated health ers. Hexperience endemic levels (2019) or nearly eight per cent of how health workers function workforce data, analytics and sci- Dr. Ivy Lynn Bourgeault is a of burnout directly related to Canada’s total GDP. as teams in ‘real world’ patient ence infrastructure. This would ad- professor of sociological and an- understaffing and work overload. Health workforce science— care pathways. The data are also dress a critical gap that has held us thropological studies at the Uni- Leaves of absence from work for and the data research infra- collected differently by various back, and which has become only versity of Ottawa and the lead of mental health and stress related structure necessary to support stakeholders, so are not easy more apparent, since COVID-19. the Canadian Health Workforce issues are 1.5 times higher among it—is critical to making the best to analyze across jurisdictions. We can’t claim to have been Network. health workers than the rest of decisions about this essential Notable absences are workers blindsided. Already in 2010, the The Hill Times

more than just an ask for “nice things to have.” Vaccines give long-term care crisis a brief Rather these calls foreshad- owed the reality we know today, that we have been playing a reprieve, but cannot stand as the solution dangerous game of Jenga in the care of our older citizens within As we do in the aftermath of Ontario patients’ ombudsman, the long-term care sector. In defi- Returning to normal cannot be an option because any disaster, we seek emergency Nova Scotia’s first wave review, ance of evidence, we continue to relief. In this case, relief arrived Quebec’s ombudsman report. undervalue care work, maintain the normal we operated within in delivering long- in the form of a vaccine—which The list goes on and the refrain is outdated staff levels and models, term care was not only unjust, but unsustainable. has prioritized long-term care consistent. ignore sector pleas for support residents to be among the first The reports’ call to immediate- while continuing to add more The vaccine is a reprieve, a gift that will step in to recipients. To be clear, vaccines ly address staff needs—including stress and pressure by admitting are an absolute necessity, but we more direct care staff, increased higher acuity residents , relying protect older Canadians after we failed to live up cannot fool ourselves into believ- training, better pay, stronger fo- only on a whim and a prayer that ing they will address the horren- cus on recruitment and retention, the whole thing won’t crash to the to the job; but it is just that, a reprieve. dous shortfalls we bore witness to and mental health support. ground. throughout the pandemic. The reports’ highlight the sig- The façade has indeed our current challenges in long-term Vaccines are not the panacea nificant gap in mandatory infec- crumbled. care (LTC) in Canada,” I noted in that will fix the long-term care tion control and prevention prac- Returning to normal cannot that opinion piece. “It is the cumula- system; yet, I worry we will tell tices, the need for comprehensive be an option, because the normal tive effect of years not prioritizing ourselves it is. plans to prevent and to manage we operated within in delivering resources to support quality of life SALTY (Seniors Adding Life to infectious disease outbreaks, as long-term care was not only un- for older residents. Consequently, Years), a research initiative I lead well as access to supplies (PPE just, but unsustainable. The vac- LTC is not prepared for or equipped alongside some of Canada’s most and safe work). cine is a reprieve, a gift that will to meet the complex care realities of acclaimed researchers and aca- In addition, the Royal Society step in to protect older Canadians today’s and tomorrow’s residents.” demics, has evidence on how we report and others have called for after we failed to live up to the In reading this today, after we can improve the quality of life of the development and implemen- job; but it is just that, a reprieve. Janice Keefe have seen what we have seen, long-term care residents. Moreover, tation of national standards in “LTC is not adequately pre- Opinion these words relay an eerie premo- I was privileged to work on the LTC, as well as allocating addi- pared or equipped to meet the nition of the chaos and havoc that Royal Society of Canada’s report tional, and targeted, LTC fund- complex care realities of today’s would soon rage through long- ‘Restoring Trust: COVID 19 On ing to provinces to execute the and tomorrow’s residents.” I said his time last year, I had the term care residences from one the Future of Long-Term Care in recommendations above. this a year ago, and I will repeat it Tgreat privilege of authoring coast to another. Canada,’ which provided thorough There should be no doubt that again today. another editorial for The Hill I would argue that for most recommendations on how we can this collaboration among govern- Changing this truth is entirely Times in an effort to amplify the people reading that piece, there address the gaps in how we ap- ments is needed. up to us and the policy decisions call for change within our na- would be tacit agreement to the proach care for older Canadians in To date, over 70 per cent of we must be bold enough to make. tion’s long-term care sector. Like position I was asserting. I am both the short and long-term. COVID-19 fatalities have taken Janice Keefe is professor of others, I struggle to reflect back equally as confident that this base These recommendations have place in our long-term care facili- family studies and gerontology, on the relative innocence of 12 acknowledgement in no way pre- been followed by countless other ties. This reflects the precarious the Lena Isabel Jodrey Chair in short months ago, in the “before pared Canadians for the horror reports, a number of them written state of the sector in Canada, Gerontology and director of the times” of the pandemic. that was about to unravel when as part of provincial inquiries and that the calls to action being Nova Scotia Centre on Aging at “The sheer number of individu- the pandemic made a landing in conducted following the first repeated like a broken record Mount Saint Vincent University als turning 65 is not the cause of these long-term care facilities. wave of COVID-19, including: the by advocates such as myself are The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 33 Policy BriefingHealth

mentation of the gendered experi- ence of the pandemic is needed. COVID-19 is not gender-blind Facilitating access to flexible working conditions, including the 10-day leave proposed by the The pandemic has related job losses. Quarantine, child or a parent, a situation com- Fund went a step further, stating federal government, would also isolation, unemployment, financial monly referred to as “mental load” that “pandemics exacerbate existing have a positive effect. affected men and insecurity, violence, and a fragile (Conseil du statut de la femme inequalities for women and girls.” Employers are also proving to work-family balance are all health 2015). This, in turn, can exacerbate A gender-based analysis of miti- be essential levers for equality. women differently, risk factors exacerbated by the stress, and anxiety, and their del- gation measures is urgently needed The current crisis is an oppor- pandemic. All these may lead to eterious health consequences. In 2018, finance minister Bill tunity for them to participate in which is why persistent economic and health The recognition that the struc- Morneau announced that gender- this transformation by promoting, inequalities between women and tural nature of gender results in dif- based analysis plus (GBA+) was for example, flexible hours, time deliberate focus on the men well beyond the pandemic. ferential exposure and vulnerability henceforth applied to all federal banking, family leave or reduced gendered experience It is therefore imperative to to stressors explains, in part, why it budget decisions. This commit- work weeks. Women who have consider the gendered experience featured so prominently on many ment may need to be reiter- access to such measures report of the pandemic could of COVID-19 in the design of poli- governments’ (including Canada’s) ated or made more explicit in less psychological distress than cies implemented in response to and international organizations’ the pandemic response, as it is those who do not. The pandemic help in reducing these this pandemic and the subsequent policy agenda before the pandemic. not currently obviously driving could prove to be an opportunity economic recovery. Covid-19 mitigation measures decision-making. Provincial and for more gender equality during inequalities. Gender is a structuring deter- such as remote work and school- territorial partners should also the recovery if these flexible work minant of health. It exposes men ing, layoffs, childcare closures, and be brought onboard, as many arrangements persist. and women differently to social the choice of essential services domains of importance in the Even during a pandemic, the constraints and associated stress- have shaped the daily constraints pandemic mitigation response increase in health inequalities ors. Despite sustained decreases in faced by all Canadians since fall under their jurisdiction (e.g. between men and women should the gendered division of household March 2020. The structural nature education and health). not be inevitable. A deliberate labour in Canada, women still bear of gender exposed above has likely Previously, the government rec- focus on the gendered experience more of the burden than men. And resulted in greater exposure to ognized the need to increase the of the pandemic could help in we are not alone: even in an egalitar- these constraints among women, data on which to base its analyses. reducing these inequalities. ian country such as Finland, women for example through increased This need is even more pressing in Jaunathan Bilodeau is a post- spend up to 2.5 times more time on domestic responsibilities, along the current context. For example, doctoral fellow in the department regular household chores and twice with increased vulnerability, such women who are victims of do- of sociology at McGill University. Jaunathan Bilodeau & Amélie as much time on childcare than men. as perceived family-work conflict. mestic violence are particularly Amélie Quesnel-Vallée is a profes- Quesnel-Vallée Gender is also constructed Mindful of these effects, the vulnerable during the quarantine sor and the Canada Research Opinion through the meaning and impor- former G7 Advisory Board on Gen- period. However, there is no data Chair in policies and health in- tance given to everyday situations, der Equality recently sounded the to document this phenomenon. equalities. She is cross appointed omen are at greater risk resulting in differential vulner- alarm bell, calling for prioritizing How can the impact of the to the department of sociology Wboth of direct exposure ability to stressful situations. the gender dimensions of the pan- pandemic on gender-related health and the department of epidemiol- to the virus due to their over- Some women may thus be more demic and preventing a deteriora- inequalities be avoided or limited? ogy, biostatistics and occupation- representation in health care and concerned than their spouse about tion of women’s equality and rights. Action must be mobilised on al health at McGill University. service settings, and of pandemic- the difficulties experienced by a The United Nations Population several fronts. Rigorous docu- The Hill Times

organizations now rely on industry, followers accused some members Pharmacare, patient groups, not just for funding, but for informa- of not caring: “We all care” he said. tion about the drugs being mar- It’s disturbing then to see a keted for their condition and advice webinar presentation by Innova- on influencing government policy. tive Medicines Canada the latest and the need for open discourse Some groups resist; the group I postponement of the implementa- co-founded in Montreal passed a tion of the new guidelines end with vociferous but unsurprising opposi- “Pharmacare for All Canadians” corporate policy that prohibits tak- a shout-out to five industry-funded tion to a policy agenda designed, in should look like. The funding the ing funds from drug companies and patient advocacy groups: “Stake- part, to rein in drug prices. coalition and many of its individual other corporations that contribute holder voices are having an impact: Less obviously, an array of members receive from major phar- to, or profit from, cancer. your continued engagement on vocal patient organizations stands maceutical companies went un- We don’t all think alike and these consultations is crucial. What against key aspects of a plan meant mentioned, and the brief’s claims vigorous debates over any policy can you do? Get involved.” Some of to serve the public interest. Without contained more industry spin than should be encouraged. With phar- the groups listed have engaged in dismissing other political head- sound health policy. macare in the balance, I’ve joined hostile attacks. Whether or not the winds, I believe these organisations We don’t have to demonize with other health advocates inde- industry condones these harass- are the actors with the greatest industry actors to recognize they pendent of the industry to put our ment tactics, I question the ethics Sharon Batt potential to derail the national enter partnerships with well- views on pharmacare on the public of Big Pharma’s rallying patient pharmacare plan we need. Chal- Opinion honed strategies to achieve their record. In briefs and petitions and groups to advance its agenda. lenging Big Pharma is one thing; goals, says Marks. Partnerships a presentation before HESA, we’ve Health policy, by its nature, taking on sick people is no one’s with trusted public-sector actors argued that a universal, national, arouses strong passions and any ill Canadians ever have the idea of heroism. create “health halos” that burnish publicly funded pharmacare major change in the status quo universal national phar- Politicians should listen to pa- W corporate reputations, but imperil program, well-designed, funded can feel threatening, but Canada macare program that repeated tients, but—unlike many prominent the public interest through “asset and implemented, would improve stands alone among high-income investigations show will support patient advocates—I believe Big exchanges.” Groups receive money, drug safety and effectiveness, take countries in excluding prescrip- fair, appropriate health care and Pharma has systematically co- information and advice, and help collective opportunity gains into tion drugs from its national that 86 per cent of Canadians say opted much of the patient advo- companies with marketing, clinical account, fairly prioritize access, health-care program. The phar- they want? The long-simmering cacy movement, through strategic trial recruitment, and lobbying and increase transparency. maceutical industry will adapt to question is once again on the partnerships. Canadian health about drug access and subsidy. We’ve met resistance from the some loss of profit, as it has in all minds of voters. In his supple- policies accept, even encourage, In the U.S., which has a sun- industry-funded patient commu- other countries that have national mentary mandate letter, the prime public-private partnerships. I agree shine law requiring companies to nity. When I attempted to present pharmacare plans. Meanwhile, minister called on Health Minister with ethicist and lawyer Jonathan declare funding to patient advoca- our perspective at a meeting of policy-makers might reflect on the to “accelerate steps to Marks who says society needs pub- cy groups, 14 major pharma com- CADTH, three prominent activists words of Roy Vagelos, a scientist- achieve a national, universal phar- lic health actors to actively defend panies collectively spent US$163- heckled me so vociferously, my turned CEO who ran Merck for a macare program,” including estab- the public interest. A collaborative million on patient advocacy groups talk was shut down. Such personal decade, beginning in the mid-80s: lishing a Canada Drug Agency, agreement with the private sector in 2015—more than twice what attacks undermine democratic “The biopharmaceutical business is implementing a national formulary, makes this impossible. they spent lobbying politicians debate, but unfortunately are not different than selling buttons and and a rare-disease strategy. In Canada, we don’t know the same year. Patient groups in isolated. Staff at the Patented Medi- bicycles.” Vagelos was more inter- As Peter Cleary of Santis Health how much the industry spends Missouri echoed and amplified cines Price Review Board have ested in making new drugs than in told Hill Times Research, failure to on patient organizations, because industry messages that contributed received hostile phone messages making money. And Merck’s stock enact this legislation could “push no laws require disclosure (a to the state’s opioid crisis. Industry- and Twitterstorms from advocacy price did extremely well. away progressive voters.” On Feb. transparency law passed by the funded patient groups sponsored a group members calling them “non Sharon Batt is an adjunct 24, the NDP will up the pressure, Wynne government in Ontario lays campaign that opposed legislation human robots” who are “sacrificing professor in the department of with a private member’s bill. dormant under Doug Ford’s leader- to contain prices of drugs covered the lives of the most vulnerable bioethics at Dalhousie University Other commentators cite political ship). Best Medicines Coalition, by U.S. Medicare. to save money.” At a meeting of and author of Health Advocacy barriers, including the ongoing a group representing 25 patient My research in Canada found the House Health Committee to Inc.: How Pharmaceutical Fund- pressures of COVID-19, lack of advocacy groups, submitted a brief that the industry has successfully discuss changes to the Patented ing Changed the Breast Cancer provincial ministers’ support, and to HESA, the House of Commons carried out variations of these strat- Medicines Review Board, NDP MP Movement. the pharmaceutical industry’s Health Committee, describing what egies. Scores of Canadian patient Don Davies objected when Twitter The Hill Times 34 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES News

Immigration, In 2019-20, IRCC also reported Refugees, and 2.82 per cent of permanent resi- Express entry Citizenship dents outside Quebec identified Canada, overseen as French speaking, compared to by Immigration the target of 4.4 per cent. Ms. San- Minister Marco key said under the Francophone Mendicino, Immigration Strategy, IRCC is economic missed a third of “pursuing year-round targeted its performance promotion and recruitment” to targets in 2019-20, attract more qualified French- prompting some to speaking candidates, and noted question whether under the express entry program, immigration its goals are too the government increased invita- aspirational. The Hill tions to French-tested candidates Times photograph by from 4.5 per cent in 2018 to 5.6 Andrew Meade per cent in 2019. timelines a These results suggest issues with respect to service standards, language training, and refugee According to the department’s Both Mr. Tao and Ms. Ackah claims, said Andrew Griffith, a latest plan, its overall spending is acknowledged it can be a com- fellow of the Canadian Global ‘joke,’ say set to increase from $1.92-billion plicated process, but Ms. Ackah Affairs Institute who was once in 2017-18 to the peak last fiscal said that’s all the more reason to a director general at the depart- year at $3.46-billion, before go- provide more resources. ment’s Citizenship and Multicul- ing back down this fiscal year to In IRCC’s report on perfor- turalism Branch. $2.84-billion, $2.6-billion in 2021- mance targets, the department While many reflect perennial lawyers as 22, and $2.56-billion in 2022-23. problems and backlogs, given said “substantial efforts” have The stretching timelines reflect been made to reduce express en- these markers IRCC seems to be an increase in applications for try applications that took longer “systematically” missing the stan- express entry, with the 332,331 than six months to process. dards it sets to monitor how well processing submissions in 2019 amounting “While service standards are it’s delivering its services, he said. to a 20 per cent jump from 2018. being met for a higher number of “So if they’re consistently Among the profiles submitted in applications compared to previous missing their targets it says 2019, 72 per cent were eligible years, this was offset by an increase there’s either a management for at least one of the business in applications and the processing of problem, an operational problem, times increase programs, according to the pro- older applications,” the report said. a resource problem, or some com- gram’s year-end report. The department noted early bination of those,” he said. Still, the government promises results show “progression to- Even so, he noted a contrast- Canada promises in Calgary, laughed when she to those searching for informa- wards higher admission targets” ing target the department did repeated the program’s name. tion online about the express and that efforts to increase the meet: a 91 per cent satisfaction the express entry “Express entry, that’s a joke. entry system that it “will result intake are having an impact on rate from visitors, international When they first launched that in fast processing times of six service standards, in this case, students, and temporary worker pathway for skilled program a few years ago, it was months or less.” the promise to have the majority applicants who reported they incredible. It was three months, four “I can’t even bring up that completed within six months. The were satisfied overall with the foreign workers will months,” she said, but now she warns number [to clients],” said B.C.- department doesn’t control intake services they received. While he clients it can take more than a year. based immigration lawyer Will for provincial nominee program’s doesn’t advocate for lowering take six months, but She said it’s disappointing the Tao of Heron Law, saying more paper applications and Quebec- targets, Mr. Griffith questioned lawyers say it’s ‘not government hasn’t been able to transparency is needed. selected skilled workers. why the government reports on keep up with the high volume of It’s “misleading” and can “give By email, IRCC spokesperson aspirational or unrealistic goals. working’ as none of applications. To her, it’s a clear the wrong impression” to ap- Lauren Sankey said the gov- “Personally, I favour realistic resourcing and staffing problem plicants, he said, especially now ernment remains committed to standards for public departmental the programs met that doesn’t line up with Canada’s with the pandemic posing even reducing application processing reports, with aspirational more ap- stated goals to increase immigra- more of a challenge to processing times and improving the depart- propriate for internal use,” he said. that standard last tion levels. times. ment’s service delivery. IRCC’s targets are based “It’s not working as an express “I think they pretty much in- on factors like historic trends, fiscal year. process, absolutely not. It’s the ternally abandoned it, so from my program objectives, resourcing same as the old process, as far as perspective, if you’ve done that, IRCC misses a third of levels, client service goals, and BY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN I’m concerned, and it’s lost its cred- then you probably should … let 2019-20 targets evolving influences such as the ibility with people,” she said. “The clients know,” he said, calling for Among the third of IRCC’s impact of increasing temporary Canada’s “express entry” ap- trend is getting slower and slower.” better transparency so that people performance targets missed in resident and permanent resident proach to key economic immi- Over the last three years, be- can get more certainty about their 2019-20, the express-entry delay immigration levels, said Ms. gration programs isn’t working, fore COVID-19 interruptions, pro- situations. was the worst among 17 the de- Sankey. immigration lawyers say, follow- cessing times have increased, and Even though it’s supposed to partment didn’t reach. Canada’s “Targets are reviewed regu- ing a recent report showing that in some cases, doubled the time it be an automated system, based backlogged asylum system again larly, and in some cases, the none of them are meeting the takes to deal with 80 per cent of on points, both lawyers said the failed to make the cut, with the department establishes ambi- six-month service standard. applicants. The federal skills trade process gets bogged down dur- department reporting only 32 tious targets that serve to stretch That failed grade was among stream jumped from six months ing the authentication stage, as per cent of asylum claims were program vision and encourage 17 missed performance targets in 2017 to one year for the major- officials check over and verify referred to the Immigration and innovation. In other cases, they the Immigration, Refugees, and ity of applicants, while the feder- the many documents submitted. Refugee Board of Canada within are based on baselines and his- Citizenship Canada (IRCC) al-skilled worker and provincial- Eligible candidates in the pool are service standards, compared to toric trends where achievement reported for the 2019-20 fiscal nominee programs increased given a score based on their skills the target of 97 per cent. is more certain,” said Ms. Sankey, year, or 31 per cent of the 54 from six to nine months in that and experience, with top-ranking Language-development delays noting how IRCC tracks perfor- total targets. It said none of the same time frame. The Canadian candidates invited to submit for people settling in Canada mance will change following a government’s business lines for Experience Class increased from an application for permanent caused additional missed targets. 2020 departmental review. permanent residents met service four to seven months. Across all residence. As of June 2017, IRCC Only 37 per cent of IRCC’s settle- Separating service perfor- standards during a time period programs, only 60 per cent of the added extra points to candidates ment clients reported improved mance down into two tracks—one that had yet to feel the pandem- applications met the standard by with strong French-speaking official language skills compared for permanent residents and one ic’s full impact. the end of 2019. skills. to the target of 60 per cent, while for temporary residents—is not a Launched in 2015, the express 19 per cent of people reported re- true representation of the depart- entry process is described by ceiving language-training services ment’s performance, she said, Canada as its “flagship” system Processing times, in months, for compared to target of 25 per cent. given the disparate programs for various federal skilled worker Ms. Sankey said every new- under the two umbrellas. Instead, programs, and a portion of the Express Entry applications comer’s experience is unique, IRCC will report on the service provincial nominee program, as a including their participation in standard for each individual pro- pathway to permanent residence settlement services, which is gram, which Mr. Griffith called for skilled workers in Canada and Program 2017 2018 2019 managed by IRCC and delivered a “significant change” given the from overseas. IRCC has said it Canadian Experience Class 4 5 7 by more than 500 service provider “overly simple” approach before. plans to increase permanent-res- organizations across the coun- “This change will capture ident admissions, setting a target Federal Skilled Worker 4 6 9 try, outside of Quebec. Federally more accurate service standard of 341,000 for 2020 and 350,000 Provincial/Territorial Nominee 6 6 9 funded language training is “a key performance for the many lines of for 2021, with most of the uptick component” said Ms. Sankey, who business which make up the tem- expected from economic immi- Federal Skilled Trades 6 7 12 noted there’s been an increase in porary and permanent resident gration streams. All Programs 5 5 8 newcomers with limited knowl- programs,” Ms. Sankey said. Evelyn Ackah, founder of edge of English or French over [email protected] Ackah Business Immigration Law Source: Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada the past few years. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 35 News

But Mr. Graves warned that if the government fails to deliver on Pandemic response slips from its promises, there would be dire political consequences for the Liberals. “The public are very concerned, ‘slam dunk’ to ‘potential liability’ for [but] the idea that this will all turn out badly and that we’re in huge problems and the government’s incompetent and has screwed it Liberals, say some political insiders all up … the public aren’t buy- ing that yet,” said Mr. Graves “My data suggests that the public are wary, they’re very concerned, and Prime Minister Ekos Research the government will be punished Justin Trudeau, severely if their claims turned out pictured on Jan. president Frank to be without foundation.” 26, 2021, outside Mr. Graves did not rule out the the Rideau Cottage. Graves says the possibility of a spring election if The hiccups in the government is able to fix the vaccine rollout is the smooth rollout vaccine rollout issue by that time. of the COVID-19 “The next election will be a problem for the vaccine will be basically a referendum on how a major hurdle if Liberals, but also says you handle the pandemic,” he the Liberals want said. “That will be No. 1. No. 2, to go to the polls it’s not over yet. closely aligned, will be, did you this spring, say get the vaccine out in time? And Liberals. The Hill depending how long it goes on, Continued from page 1 Times photograph by No. 3 is what do you plan to do Andrew Meade inoculated should be able to get with Canada coming out of this their vaccine shots by September. pandemic? Those will be the three Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ballot questions. None of them are (Papineau, Que.) has also prom- entirely clear right now. The gov- ised that a “majority” of Canadi- ernment’s done okay on the first ans will be able to receive their one, but it will all go in the toilet if vaccine shots by that time. In December, Prime Minister “The Liberals now are mov- still getting government cheques they screw up the vaccine rollout.” Recently, however, there Trudeau told the national board ing into minority territory,” said to stay at home, and whether they have been some interruptions of directors of the Liberal Party Mr. Nanos. “So there’s only a five are less at risk than they were a in the delivery of the COVID-19 that it “looks like” the next elec- point gap between the Con- year ago. He pointed out that now vaccines from their suppliers, tion would happen in spring. But servatives and the Liberals. At is a much more complex situation including Pfizer/BioNTech and Liberal sources have told The Hill one point, they were enjoying a than last March, when the focus Moderna. The government has Times that a relatively smooth 13-point advantage; now that’s was on slowing down the spread of said the supply will start to return vaccine rollout was the key condi- basically evaporated, with anxi- COVID-19 using social distancing to normal in the coming weeks. tion for a spring election. ety over the vaccinations, to only measures such as wearing masks. Last week, the federal gov- Meanwhile, the recent hic- five percentage points. So there’s The virus is mutating, and people ernment announced that it cups in the vaccine availability right now a negative trajectory on are dealing with uncertainty over had signed an agreement with have started to take their toll on Liberal support.” when they will be able to go back Novavax to produce millions of the Liberals’ popularity, accord- Mr. Nanos said it appears the to work, and people are worried COVID-19 vaccine shots in Mon- ing to Nanos Research. As of last window of opportunity for the about their children’s schooling, treal. However, the production of week, the Liberals were leading Liberals to call a snap election and above all the interruption in this vaccine will start at the end the pack with the support of 34.9 will close if they can’t quickly fix vaccine rollout, said Mr. Nanos. of the year, which means it won’t per cent of Canadians, followed the interruption to the vaccine “The problem with the govern- help the government reach its closely by the Conservatives with rollout. Some Liberal sources ment in vaccinations, is it’s like Ekos Research president Frank goal of vaccinating Canadians 30.3 per cent. The NDP had 15.5 interviewed for this story agreed telling someone, ‘The cheque Graves says his polling is showing in the short term. The domestic per cent support, and the Green that the bumps in the vaccine is in the mail,’ ” said Mr. Nanos. the Liberals are maintaining a stable production facility, however, will Party had 7.4 per cent. rollout could complicate the “There’s no consolation to Ca- lead over the Conservatives, despite be helpful if there’s another pan- Back on Jan. 8, according to party’s willingness to go to the nadians who are worried about the delay to vaccine shipments. The demic in future. Nanos Research, Liberal support polls this spring. They added their own health, and the health Hill Times file photograph As of last week, 1,014,435 was at 40.2 per cent, Conserva- that considering the fact that the of their loved ones, to be told doses of approved COVID-19 the cheque is in the mail when it According to last week’s Ekos vaccines had been administered Pollster comes to the vaccinations. And, poll, the Trudeau Liberals’ were in Canada, which means about Nik Nanos so, I think it’s a much more seri- the choice of 36.5 per cent of 2.2 per cent of the population has of Nanos ous time right now than it was at Canadians, the Conservatives received at least one dose of the Research any other time in the pandemic.” were the pick of 28.1 per cent, the vaccine. By deadline last week, says that the Frank Graves, president of NDP 14.5 per cent, and the Green there were a total of 789,651 total interruption Ekos polling firm, told The Hill Party at 9.3 per cent. The poll of cases of COVID-19 in the county, in the vaccine Times that his polling is also con- 548 Canadians was conducted which have resulted in 20,355 rollout is firming that Canadians are paying between Jan. 29 and Feb. 3 and deaths. causing a close attention to COVID-19’s had a margin of error of plus or The Liberals had enjoyed a Liberal support health and economic impacts. minus 4.1 percentage points, 19 comfortable double-digit lead— to drop across He said his polling is showing times out of 20. with some minor interruptions— the country. Canadians are aware that they are A Leger poll released last over the opposition parties for The Hill Times going through a tough situation, week also suggested that the months, starting last spring, when file photograph which could become worse if more Trudeau Liberals were leading the first wave of the pandemic transmissible variants of the virus all parties with the support of exploded in Canada. Since the spread, but they believe that this 37 per cent of Canadians, fol- summer of last year, rumours could be resolved with the vaccine. lowed by the Conservatives with have been circulating that the The Liberals are still poll- 28 per cent. The NDP was at 22 Liberals may call a snap election tives support at 27.2 per cent, next election will be decided on ing ahead of the Conservatives, per cent and the Green Party at to capitalize on their popularity NDP support at 16.5 per cent, and the government’s handling of said Mr. Graves. He said that the five per cent. The poll also sug- and convert their minority into a Green support at 7.4 per cent. pandemic, it’s important it gets it interruption to the vaccine rollout gested the government’s support majority government. The Nanos survey also suggest- right to the satisfaction of Cana- did not appear to be suppressing in managing the pandemic has In British Columbia, the NDP’s ed that COVID-19 was the top issue dians. Liberal support in his polls. slipped from 60 per cent to 54 John Horgan called a snap elec- for 43.6 per cent of respondents, “It’s all about COVID, COVID, “I don’t find that [negative per cent. The online poll of 1,559 tion last fall and won a majority, more than than any other issue. COVID, and vaccine rollout,” said trajectory for Liberals], in fact, Canadians was released on Feb. 1 becoming British Columbia’s first The same survey indicated that a source. in my most recent poll, I see the and had a margin of error of 2.4 two-term NDP premier. Before 11.9 per cent of Canadians identi- The first anniversary of the Liberals with an eight-point lead, percentage points, plus or minus, that, New Brunswick and Sas- fied jobs/economy as their top-of- pandemic lockdowns in Canada which is up,” said Mr. Graves. “So 19 times out of 20. katchewan also held elections in mind issue, 6.6 per cent mentioned is in March, and Mr. Nanos said this is paradoxical.” An Abacus Data poll of 3,930 the middle of the pandemic that the environment, and six per cent Canadians will evaluate the gov- Mr. Graves argued that this Canadians released last week put returned the governing parties mentioned health care. The poll of ernment’s performance by looking could be because people believe the Liberals at 32 per cent, the to power with majority govern- 1,000 Canadians was released on at metrics such as whether the in the federal government’s as- Conservatives at 31 per cent, and ments: a boost from minority Feb. 1 and had a margin of error economy is moving in the right di- surance that this is a temporary the NDP at 18 per cent. status for the New Brunswick of plus or minus 3.1 percentage rection, whether people are return- situation and the issue will be [email protected] Progressive Conservatives. points, 19 times out of 20. ing to work, whether people are addressed within a few weeks. The Hill Times 36 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES News

convince Americans that Democ- ractic President Joe Biden had somehow rigged the election in Hate and paranoia which he defeated Mr. Trump. In an interview with The Hill Times, Mr. Ballingall defended the headline on that 2019 post. He said that the government’s media abound in political bailout posed a greater threat to Canadian democracy than did the headline for his post. Mr. Ballingall said that Canada Proud “has not condoned or pro- social media, as moted, and will never condone, violence or hate.” “Any political violence is of concern. That’s not what Canada is about, and that’s not a part of a federal Liberals It’s past time for democratic healthy democracy,” he said. governments to step in to combat Mr. Ballingall argued that online hate, says University of Ottawa Canada Proud’s administrators law professor Karen Eltis. Photograph are government critics, and are courtesy of the University of Ottawa not responsible for the reactions prepare to intervene of those who comment on the page. Canada Proud does moder- him. I would volunteer to be on ate its comments, however, both the jury and would thank him for manually and using an automated Heritage Minister a job well done,” wrote one com- process which scrubs comments Steven Guilbeault The German online menter. that include one of roughly 600 has been The post that elicited those re- banned words, including racial hate speech law which assigned by the plies, written by a Canada Proud slurs, he said. prime minister administrator, was benign: “Just Mr. Ballingall is the president the government may to take action to crazy. How was this man allowed of Mobilize Media Group. He was curb online hate view as a model could to spend 1 minute on the ground hired as the digital director for and harassment. in Trudeau’s residency, let alone Mr. O’Toole’s successful leader- Racist, sexist, lead to social media 13 minutes,” it read, linking to ship campaign in 2020. He no and violent another Post Millennial post. longer works for Mr. O’Toole. comments, as platforms over- Canada Proud has spent more well as conspiracy than $325,000 on political Face- suppressing online theories, are book ads since it was established. commonplace in Nearly all of them criticize or speech, says law online discussions mock the federal Liberals, and of Canadian professor Karen Eltis. Mr. Trudeau, in particular, who politics. The Hill has been at the centre of sev- Times photograph eral high-profile scandals since Continued from page 1 by Andrew Meade his party won power in 2015. It for conservative political parties,” describes itself as “the largest wrote one visitor to the Liberal grassroots group dedicated to Party Facebook page under a defeating Justin Trudeau.” post honouring Holocaust vic- So-called third party political tims and survivors. Other com- said the government’s own legis- Proud. Both pages have hundreds advocacy groups have spent mil- ments viewed by The Hill Times lation would likely be influenced of thousands of followers. lions on online and broadcast ads after a short search espoused a by German law, which requires A single post on the Canada to try to influence recent Canadi- conspiracy theory about “a plan social media platforms to remove Proud page on Jan. 30 prompted an elections. Those include groups for total world-wide control,” and illegal content under a tight one visitor to the page to liken on both ends of the political spec- repeated racist stereotypes in deadline, or face significant pen- the Liberal Party to Nazis, and trum. A new group calling itself response to a post about Black alties. Heritage Minister Steven another to reply that the Lib- the Protecting Canada Project Guilbeault (Laurier-Sainte-Marie, eral government was “creating ran ads earlier this year attacking History Month. Jeff Ballingall says Canada Proud Que.) and Justice Minister David concentration camps.” A third Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole The Liberal Party monitors its ‘has not condoned or promoted, Lametti (LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, wrote that “next they will be drag- (Durham, Ont.) with thinly-sup- social media pages for discrimi- and will never condone, violence Que.) are responsible for taking ging people out of their homes ported claims that he would cut natory, hateful, and threatening or hate.’ Photograph courtesy of Jeff the lead on that legislation. in the middle of the night.” Prime federal health transfers if he won content as well as misinformation Ballingall’s Twitter and removes it, said spokesper- Using the German law as a Minister Justin Trudeau (Pap- the next federal election. son Braeden Caley. model could have consequences, ineau, Que.) is “heading closer to None of the posts by Canada Similar comments are harder however, said Karen Eltis, a pro- being arrested for treason,” wrote Proud’s administrators observed Mr. Ballingall said the Liberal to find, but present, on Facebook fessor who specializes in digital another. by The Hill Times were hateful government’s promised online pages for the Conservative Party, and constitutional law at the That Jan. 30 post had warned or incited violence. A Feb. 1 post hate speech legislation is a “diver- and the NDP; political think tanks University of Ottawa. that “Justin Trudeau is taking his encouraged followers to celebrate sion.” including the Broadbent Institute The punitive German law ef- next step into authoritarianism,” Black History Month: “together “They’re sacrificing their and the Fraser Institute; and news fectively pushes digital platforms and linked to a post on The Post we are all Canada Proud,” it said. status as the party of the Charter organizations that cover federal to “over-suppress” online speech Millennial, a right-wing political The comments in response were for a quick diversion from their politics, including The Hill Times. to avoid incurring monetary pen- website, about the government’s nearly all negative. “All lives mat- shameful record procuring vac- The federal Liberals promised alties, she said. decision to hire “security contrac- ter,” was among the most popular. cines for Canadians,” he said. in their 2019 election platform Prof. Eltis said she was the “de- tors” to knock on doors to confirm Some of the posts written by As of deadline last week, to bring in new rules for social lighted” that the government was that people ordered into quaran- Canada Proud’s administrators the Liberal government had not media companies to curtail hate taking action to curb online hate tine are complying. go further than criticism. One introduced its promised legisla- speech. speech, however. She said that “Either his tenure ends or his Canada Proud post in June 2019 tion to curb online hate speech. “[W]e will move forward with democratic governments have for life….I’m fine with both!” wrote an- warned that Mr. Trudeau was “try- Public Safety Minister new regulations for social media too long neglected their role set- other user under another post about ing to rig” the upcoming election. (Scarborough Southwest, Ont.) platforms, starting with a require- ting rules online, instead forcing the government’s vaccine rollout. “Here’s proof Justin Trudeau is announced the addition of 13 ment that all platforms remove private companies that run digital A July 3, 2020, Canada Proud trying to rig the election,” it said. new organizations to Canada’s illegal content, including hate media platforms to fill that void. post about Corey Hurren, the The post included a video pro- list of terrorist entities on Feb. 3, speech, within 24 hours or face Prof. Eltis said the govern- heavily-armed man who rammed duced by Canada Proud, in which including the Proud Boys, which significant financial penalties. ment’s legislation could establish down the gates of the Rideau Hall a nameless narrator warned that had helped to organize the attack This will also include other online an ombudsperson or a set of high- grounds last July and threatened the government’s $600-million on the U.S. Capitol Building in harms, such as radicalization, in- level principles to help digital Prime Minister Trudeau, prompt- media bailout fund would give the January. citement to violence, exploitation media platforms decide how to ed a barrage of comments, nearly press an incentive to cover the The Proud Boys is not linked of children, or creation or distri- deal with hate speech online. all of which applauded Mr. Hur- government in a more positive to Canada Proud. The listing pro- bution of terrorist propaganda,” Few pages attract as many ren, called for violence against light. cess for terrorist entities makes the platform said. extreme comments as Canada the prime minister, or dismissed Supporters of former U.S. it illegal to provide financial The government is planning to Proud, the right-wing political the episode as a hoax designed to president Donald Trump at- support to organizations that introduce legislation in February discussion forum founded by digi- generate support for Liberal gun- tacked the U.S. Capitol Build- advocate for or carry out violent or March to make good on that tal media strategist Jeff Ballingall control policies. ing last month after Mr. Trump acts for ideological objectives. pledge, according to a report from in 2018, following the establish- “[Too] bad Trudeau wasn’t orchestrated a widespread and [email protected] . That report ment of a similar page, Ontario there and this guy didn’t get to false campaign on and offline to The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 37 News

“I feel the same way….we had Senators preparing ‘sunset clause’ that fight in 2016,” she said. Sen. Jaffer also said, however, that she plans on introducing her own amendment to Bill C-7 to amendment to scrap mental health mandate a government analysis of what Canada’s different ethnic communities need in order to properly access and evaluate as- sisted dying. exclusion from assisted dying law Sen. Jaffer is also one of sev- eral Senators who have expressed concern that Indigenous people in Senators aren’t happy Canada were not adequately con- sulted by the government as it put that the promised Bill C-7 together. Sen. Mary Jane parliamentary review McCallum (Manitoba) told The Hill Times that she was seriously to deal with the issue considering voting against the bill for that reason. never materialized. It’s “too early to say” if Sena- tors will be willing to push back harder on their amendments this BY PETER MAZEREEUW time if the government rejects them, said Sen. Jaffer. enators aren’t happy with the Independent Senators, most of Sgovernment’s assisted dying them appointed by Prime Min- bill, C-7, and will likely present ister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, numerous amendments to the leg- Que.), form the largest group in islation, says Independent Sena- the Senate. Collectively, they most tor , who chairs the often vote in favour of govern- Senate’s Legal Affairs Committee ment legislation, but have proven studying the bill. eager to amend it. Senators who object to the “Because it is a non-partisan mental health exclusion in Can- Conservative Senator , left, and Independent Senator have both spoken in support of issue, by and large, there will be ada’s current assisted dying law amending Bill C-7 with a 'sunset clause' for the mental health exclusion in Canada's assisted dying law. Independent people on all sides voting for and will likely get behind a “compro- Senator Mobina Jaffer, the Legal Affairs Committee chair, said she believes that such an amendment would have against. So I think it’s kind of mise” amendment to Bill C-7 that support in the Senate. The Hill Times file photograph, photographs courtesy of the Senate unpredictable,” said Sen. Wallin. would put a “sunset clause” on that With many Senators partici- exclusion, which prevents people pating virtually amid the pandem- who are suffering solely from a The government had also in- She said she is currently she said during her speech in ic, “you cannot have these back- mental illness from accessing as- serted language into the 2016 bill healthy, but is already speaking the Chamber at second reading. room discussions with members sisted death, said Sen. Jaffer. requiring a parliamentary review with a doctor who provides assist- “There are problems of accessibil- so you know where they stand, The idea was proposed by of the law after five years. Justice ed death to see what options are ity, costs, stigma and an utter lack so it’s hard to feel the place,” said Independent Sen. Stan Kutcher Minister David Lametti (LaSalle- available to her for the future. of resources that stand in the way Sen. Carignan. (Nova Scotia) during his speech Émard-Verdun, Que.) said later, “Maybe when I grow up I’ll of people getting the help they Several Senators have called on the bill at second reading in when he introduced Bill C-7, that take it to the Supreme Court, I need. on the government to refer the the Senate on Dec. 15. Sen. Kutch- the review would explore the sub- don’t know. I just think that it “The answer to those barri- assisted dying law to the Supreme er worked as a psychiatrist before ject of extending assisted dying needs to be clarified,” she said. ers is to fix that system, not to Court of Canada, and have it de- he joined the Senate in 2018. to people suffering from a mental Sen. Carignan said that he confirm a mentally ill patient’s termine which parts of the law, if “During the sunset period, the illness, as well as advanced believed amending C-7 to legal- feelings of hopelessness and offer any, violate the Constitution. government could put into place requests for assisted death, and ize advanced requests would be them the lethal means to suicide. “It’s very difficult for a govern- all the reviews of this issue that it assisted death for mature minors. going too far, and that the fed- The answer is certainly not to end ment to go to where the puck is wishes,” he said in the Chamber. However, the review, which eral and provincial governments their lives for them.” going to go. That’s why we are “Furthermore, a sunset period was due to begin last summer, should be given time to discuss Conservative Senate Leader dealing with this incrementally,” would allow national medical and has not yet taken place, and Mr. that issue first. (Landmark, Man.) also Independent Senator Howard nursing professional organiza- Lametti has denied responsibility “We have to clarify MAID ac- called attention to the concerns Wetston (Ontario) said in the tions time to create an accredited for initiating it. cess for [mental health] first,” he expressed by disability advocates Chamber on Dec. 15. “My view interdisciplinary education and Numerous Senators pointed to said. during his speech on Bill C-7 in is that if we do not act decisively training program in MAID as- the missing parliamentary study Several Senators and advo- December. now, this ping-pong will continue sessment and delivery. This would as a source of frustration, both in cacy groups for disabled Cana- Sen. Carignan said the Conser- for the next decade.” help ensure that every Cana- the Chamber and in interviews dians have made the case that vative caucus will hold a free vote “…unless we can affect signifi- dian, regardless of their place of with The Hill Times. Bill C-7 would make the assisted on Bill C-7. He said he respected cant amendments to this legisla- residence, could reliably receive a “It’s five years of wasted time dying law discriminatory against the views of his colleagues, but tion, we should be urging the similar quality of MAID assess- that has cost people very, very people with disabilities. If Bill C-7 that he didn’t understand the government of Canada to refer ment and delivery.” painful living and very, very pain- is passed and the requirement of arguments that the bill would this immediately to the Supreme Conservative Senator Claude ful dying,” said Senator Pamella a “reasonably foreseeable death” make the assisted dying law dis- Court of Canada,” he said. Carignan (Mille Isles, Que.) told Wallin (Saskatchewan), a member is removed, the assisted dying law criminatory against people with “In that reference, there would The Hill Times that he believes of the . would allow people with an incur- disabilities. be an instruction to the court to the exclusion of mentally ill able disability to seek an assisted “I don’t know, at the end, how consider the issues we’re dealing people from the assisted dying ‘I take this very personally’ death if that disability is causing people with this thinking will with now and will deal with over regime is unconstitutional. Sen. suffering that is intolerable to have enough support to defeat the the next decade: advance direc- Carignan is his party’s critic for says Sen. Wallin them. bill,” he said. tives, mature minors, this issue the bill in the Senate, and a law- Sen. Wallin told The Hill Times “Bill C-7 is discriminatory in around folks with mental chal- yer. He suggested a sunset clause that she will press for an amend- the most profound and insidious lenges and those with disabilities, lasting one year. ment that would clear the way for way because it says to people ‘It’s hard to feel the place’ as well as some directions on The government introduced people suffering from dementia to with disabilities that their lives, without in-person sittings, guidelines.” Bill C-7 in February of 2020 after access assisted dying. Under the unlike the lives of non-disabled Sen. Wallin and Sen. Jaf- the Quebec Superior Court ruled current law, a documented wish Canadians, are not worth fighting says Sen. Carignan fer both said they supported a that part of the 2016 assisted for an assisted death under certain for,” said Conservative Senator Independent Senator Peter Supreme Court review of the dying law was unconstitutional. conditions in the future, which can (Saskatchewan) in Harder (Ottawa) argued in the law. Mr. Lametti told the Senate’s The court singled out language be honoured even if a person later the Chamber on Dec. 15. Chamber in December that Sena- Legal Affairs Committee on Feb. 1 that limits access to an assisted loses the ability to consent—known Sen. Batters is also a lawyer, tors should not treat Bill C-7 as that “it always remains an option death to only those who will die as an advance request—is not legal. and a mental health advocate. a referendum on the existing but I’ve never been convinced naturally from the condition caus- A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or She lost her husband, former assisted dying law, but rather as that it’s our best option.” ing them to suffer—technically, to other cause of dementia typically Conservative MP , to the government’s response to the Mr. Lametti has framed Bill those for whom death is “reason- renders a person legally unable to suicide in 2009. He was 39 years 2019 order from the Quebec Supe- C-7 as a relatively quick solution ably foreseeable.” give consent to an assisted death, old, and had battled anxiety and rior Court. to the Quebec Superior Court’s The Senate amended the origi- said Sen. Wallin. depression. She spoke against “Bill C-7 is not new govern- decision: that the faster it is nal assisted dying law in 2016 to “I take this very personally. My opening up assisted dying to ment policy or priority. It is a re- passed through Parliament, the remove that condition when it grandmother died of Alzheimer’s, those with mental illness dur- sponse to a judicial decision and fewer people will suffer as they was passing through Parliament, and my mother did,” she said. ing the Senate debate at second must be respected as such,” he wait for legal access to assisted but the government rejected its “I’ve seen every variation on reading. said in the Chamber on Dec. 14. dying. amendment. The Senate did not [the] mindset of a person as they “I have seen up close the fail- Sen. Jaffer said she agreed [email protected] insist, and the bill passed. descend into hell.” ures of our mental health system,” with Sen. Harder on that point. The Hill Times 38 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES

PricewaterhouseCoopers in Toronto. He Three other names were on the list: studied law at McGill University, going Farees Nathoo, director of parliamentary on to article with McCarthy Tétrault, and affairs; Adam Grech, senior executive as- also has both a master’s degree and a sistant; and Shannon Zimmerman, director bachelor’s degree in political science (and of operations and senior Ontario adviser. hill climbers criminology, in the case of his undergradu- Mr. Nathoo is a former press secretary to ate degree) from Simon Fraser University. then-treasury board president , by Laura Ryckewaert A new director of policy has yet to be and prior to the August 2020 shuffle was an named. issues manager to Ms. Freeland as deputy In other recent staffing changes for PM. A former advance in Prime Minister Ms. Lebouthillier, Andrew Richardson has Justin Trudeau’s office, Mr. Grech was also been promoted to senior adviser for issues working in Ms. Freeland’s office prior to the National Revenue management and parliamentary affairs. shuffle as executive assistant to the minister. With the office since February 2020, he was Similarly, Ms. Zimmerman was a senior previously serving as an issues manager adviser for Ontario to Ms. Freeland before and assistant to the minister’s parlia- August 2020. A former director of issues man- Minister Lebouthillier mentary secretary, Liberal MP Francesco agement to then-intergovernmental affairs Sorbara. Before joining Ms. Lebouthillier’s minister Dominic LeBlanc, Ms. Zimmerman team, Mr. Richardson spent almost four first joined Ms. Freeland’s office at the end of hires a new chief of staff, and a half years working for national Pub- 2019, after she took over the portfolio from lic Relations in Ottawa, ending as manager Mr. LeBlanc. (The August 2020 shuffle saw of political insights and strategy at the the intergovernmental affairs portfolio switch firm. back to Mr. LeBlanc’s oversight.) Faizel Gulamhussein Gabriel Bourget has already replaced Hill Climbers has also previously reported, Mr. Richardson as both an issues manager based on other sources (including the federal he spent a little more than two years work- and assistant to Mr. Sorbara. First hired conflict of interest and ethics commissioner’s Faizel Gulamhussein has ing for then-international development and on to Ms. Lebouthillier’s office in Decem- public registry), that Bud Sambasivam, Mi- La Francophonie minister Marie-Claude ber 2019, he was previously the minister’s chael Ingoldsby, and Aneil Jaswal are tackling taken over as chief of staff Bibeau, first as press secretary and later as regional affairs adviser for Quebec and the policy for Ms. Freeland. As well, that Tyler to the national revenue a senior communications adviser. Atlantic. Meredith, who previously served as policy A former staffer at Quebec’s national Mr. Bourget previously worked as an director to then-finance minister , minister, with Bernard assembly, for three months prior to moving administrative assistant to Ms. Lebouthilli- has remained in the office as a senior adviser. to Ottawa to work for the Trudeau Liber- er for a couple of months in 2016, later Mr. Meredith’s LinkedIn profile and the public Boutin moving over to als just after the 2015 election, Mr. Boutin spending six months doing administrative registry both indicate that his title is now direc- was a senior business development adviser work for the city of Percé, Que. In 2018, tor of economic strategy and planning to the Deputy Prime Minister and working on contract for BCF Business Law he spent three months as a project co- minister. in Montreal. He’s also a former Quebec ordinator for the Percé Rock Tourist Office, As reporting public office holders under the Finance Minister Chrystia director for Dyson in Toronto. among other past experience. Mr. Bourget Conflict of Interest Act, when ministerial staff Freeland’s team. Faizel Gulamhussein, who’s spent the graduated from Université Laval with are hired, details of their employment have to last year (plus two months) as director of bachelor of law degree in 2019. be transmitted to the conflict of interest and policy to Ms. Lebouthillier, has now been In turn, Chloé Rioux, who’s been busy ethics commissioner’s office as part of a larger ational Revenue Minister Diane Leb- promoted to chief of staff. as Ms. Lebouthillier’s executive assistant public disclosure process, which includes dec- Nouthillier has a new chief of staff in since March 2020, has been given the larations of any outside activities and assets, charge of her team, after bidding farewell Faizel added responsibility of replacing Mr. Bour- to ensure they are in compliance with the act. to Bernard Boutin, who’s exited to become Gulamhussein get as the minister’s Quebec and Atlantic A public registry of this information can be director of stakeholder relations and a is Minister regional affairs adviser. Before joining the accessed through the office’s website. senior Quebec adviser to Deputy Prime Lebouthillier’s minister’s office, Ms. Rioux spent almost Mr. Sambasivam, Mr. Ingoldsby, Mr. Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia new chief half a year as an economic development Jaswal, and Mr. Meredith are all listed on Freeland as of Feb. 8. of staff. co-ordinator for Tourisme et Commerce the commissioner’s registry as current staff Photograph Rocher-Percé. to Ms. Freeland. Bernard courtesy of Based on the information on this regis- Boutin has LinkedIn Chloé try, Hill Climbers identified 16 other staff left Minister Rioux is who appear to be currently working in the Lebouthillier’s now the minister’s office. office to Quebec They are: Vincent Garneau, executive work for the and director of the DPMO; Josh Arless, senior deputy prime Atlantic manager of executive operations; Amitpal minister. regional Singh, policy adviser; Michael Den Tandt, Photograph affairs senior communications adviser; Sason courtesy of adviser Ross, special assistant; Alexann Kropman, LinkedIn to the special assistant for legislative affairs; revenue Vasken Vosguian, legislative assistant; Ste- A former tax lawyer with Baker & minister. phen Bateman, special assistant for issues McKenzie in Toronto, Mr. Gulamhussein Photograph management and operations; Bronwen has been working on the Hill since the end courtesy of Jervis, writer; Maaz Yasin, senior assistant of 2017, starting as a senior policy adviser LinkedIn for community and stakeholder outreach; to then-heritage minister Mélanie Joly Nina Forrest, special assistant for policy; (and continuing under her successor, Pablo Laura Pennell, senior adviser for B.C.; Jil- Rodriguez). He joined Ms. Lebouthillier’s lian White, senior adviser for the Prairies Mr. Boutin had been running Ms. office in December 2019, shortly after the and the North; Hannah Wilson, regional Lebouthillier’s ministerial office since July last election. Percé Rock, and the city of Percé, desk for the Prairies and North; Malcolm 2018. He first joined the minister’s team as Mr. Gulamhussein is also a former sit within Ms. Lebouthillier’s riding of McEachern, Atlantic desk and assistant to director of communications and parliamen- manager of international tax services for Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que. the minister’s parliamentary secretary; and tary affairs in the fall of 2017, before which Jessica Eritou, special assistant for digital Update on Deputy PM communications and social media. Additional names are listed under the Freeland’s team deputy prime minister’s office on the reg- Ms. Freeland’s office has not confirmed istry which appear to Hill Climbers to be a full staff list for the minister since she staff working in various ministers’ regional became both deputy prime minister and offices, which serve all of cabinet and finance minister on Aug. 18, 2020, despite organizationally fall under the DPMO’s repeated requests. oversight (but are not part of the actual After a shuffle, affected ministers have DPMO team). 30 calendar days under Treasury Board Hill Climbers has separately confirmed rules to sort out their ministerial teams. that Ms. Eritou, who was previously press Any staff not rehired at that point are secretary to Families, Children, and Social deemed laid off. Development Minister , is On Feb. 2, the minister’s office con- now working for Ms. Freeland. We provide full service corporate, firmed a list of seven staff working for Ms. A former executive assistant to then- government and social catering in Freeland. That list includes four previously veterans affairs minister Seamus O’Regan, the greater Ottawa-Gatineau region. reported names: Alex Lawrence, director Ms. Eritou first joined the families minis- of communications; Katherine Cuplinskas, ter’s team as an information manager and Reserve your next event today! press secretary; Leslie Church, director of special assistant to the chief of staff under policy; and Jeremy Broadhurst, who’s both then-minister Jean-Yves Duclos in October chief of staff to Ms. Freeland and a senior 2018. Mr. Hussen took over the portfolio in Providing great food, staff and party planning since 1984! adviser to the prime minister. The deputy November 2019, and Ms. Eritou was pro- PM’s office is located on the upper floors of moted to press secretary shortly after. www.goodiescatering.com • 613-741-5643 • [email protected] 180 Wellington St., the Office of the Prime [email protected] Minister and Privy Council. The Hill Times THE HILL TIMES | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 39 Parliamentary Calendar

MONDAY, FEB. 8 option and use the discount code Gov- CSIS director Vigneault to talk about ernment to take advantage of this free Black History Month—February is opportunity. Black History Month in Canada and there Rebuilding the Local Economy: Inside are virtual festivities and events honouring national security, economic prosperity, and the Mi’kmaq-Clearwater Deal—Join the the legacy of Black Canadians and their Public Policy Forum for one of the first communities across Canada. This year’s public conversations about the purchase of theme is: “The Future is Now.” Canada’s future at CIGI webinar on Feb. 9 Clearwater Seafoods Inc. by a coalition of House Sitting—The House is sitting Mi’kmaq . They will be joined in a hybrid format during the pandemic, by the architects of this deal, Chief Terry with most MPs connecting remotely. It’s The Centre for International Paul and John Risley to outline and un- scheduled to sit until Feb. 5. It will take a pack this historic landmark of Indigenous one-week break and return on Tuesday, Feb. Governance ownership in the Atlantic region, what it 16, and sit every weekday until Friday, Feb. Innovation means for reconciliation, innovation, and 26. It will take a one-week break, March (CIGI) will the economic opportunity it spurs. The 1-March 5, and will return again for one host a webinar Fireside Chat will be moderated by Kim week, March 8-12, before taking another on 'National Brooks, dean, Faculty of Management, break, March 15-19. It’s scheduled to sit Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law, March 22-26, will take a two-week break, Security, Economic Dalhousie University. Wednesday, Feb. 17, March 29-April 9. It’s then scheduled to sit 2-3:30 p.m. Register for the free event at every weekday for the next five weeks, April Prosperity ppforum.ca. 12-May 14. It will take one-week break and Canada's after that, from May 17-May 24. It will sit Future,' THURSDAY, FEB. 18 May 25 every weekday until Wednesday, featuring David Bacon and Eggheads—Join Dr. Volker June 23, and will then break for three Vigneault, Gerdts, director and CEO of the University months, until Monday Sept. 20. In the of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious fall and winter, the House is scheduled to director of the Canadian Disease Organization-International Vaccine sit for 11 weeks over September, October, Centre, for a discussion on “Better Pan- November, and December. It will sit Sept. Security demic Preparedness: How Canadian sci- 20-Oct. 8; Oct. 18-Nov. 5; and Nov. 15- Intelligence ence can be ready for future threats.” The Dec. 17. Service. A COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the The Pandemic of Racism—A Facebook question- need for better preparedness to infectious live series exploring the sociological and-answer diseases, not only in Canada but around impacts of racism. Join Senator Wanda the world. Rapid responses are critical and Thomas Bernard (East Preston, N.S.) and period from the audience, require national centres that have the abil- Senator Stanley Kutcher (Nova Scotia) on ity and resources available to immediately Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. ET/2 p.m. AT who will talk moderated by respond to new disease threats. This pre- about anti-Asian racism. CIGI managing sentation will provide an overview of some Diversifying Power—Carleton Uni- director Aaron of the lessons learned from the current versity hosts a webinar on “Diversifying Shull, will pandemic and provide possible solutions Power: Why We Need Antiracist, Feminist follow. The of how Canada can be better prepared for Leadership on Climate and Energy.” Dr. emerging diseases. Thursday, Feb. 18, from Jennie Stephens will discuss her new event happens on Tuesday, Feb. 12:15-1:15 p.m. To register for this free book, Diversifying Power, which examines online presentation, contact Emma Brown, climate and energy leadership related to job 9, at 1:30 p.m. PAGSE Manager at [email protected] or creation and economic justice, health and The Hill Times 613-363-7705. nutrition, and housing and transportation. photograph by MONDAY, FEB. 22 She explains why we need to reclaim and Andrew Meade restructure climate and energy systems so The Pandemic of Racism—A Facebook policies are explicitly linked to social, eco- live series exploring the sociological nomic, and racial justices. Monday, Feb. 8, impacts of racism. Join Senator Wanda at 5:30 p.m. To register, visit: carleton.ca/ Thomas Bernard (East Preston, N.S.) and sustainable-energy/?p=522 Senator Stanley Kutcher (Nova Scotia) TUESDAY, FEB. 9 on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. ET/2 p.m. AT who will talk about white privilege and white National Security, Economic Prosper- fragility. ity and Canada’s Future—The Centre for discontent emerging from one, some, or all tion. Speakers include former Conservative Canada 360° Economic Summit—Get a International Governance Innovation (CIGI) of Canada’s four westernmost provinces: cabinet minister , now vice-chair front-row seat for a pivotal day of thought The Parliamentary Calendar is a free hosts a webinar on “National Security, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, for global investment banking, CIBC; leadership as The Canadian Chamber of events listing. Send in your political, Economic Prosperity and Canada’s Future,” and Manitoba—arguing that Canada’s former Canadian ambassador to the United Commerce convenes some of the brightest cultural, diplomatic, or governmental event featuring David Vigneault, director of the national challenges come from the States Gary Doer; JP Gladu, president minds in the Canadian business community in a paragraph with all the relevant details Canadian Security Intelligence Service alienation of alternative perspectives. The of the Alberta to Alaska Railway; and to discuss the challenges businesses are under the subject line ‘Parliamentary Cal- (CSIS). A question-and-answer period lecture will be followed by a Q&A. This Maryscott Greenwood, CEO of the Canadian facing because of the pandemic and the in- endar’ to [email protected] by Wednes- from the audience, moderated by CIGI event is co-organized by the Centre for the American Business Council. Tuesday, Feb. novative public policies needed to foster a day at noon before the Monday paper or by managing director Aaron Shull, will follow. Study of Democratic Citizenship. Friday, 16, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST. Register at sustainable economic recovery. Wednesday, Friday at noon for the Wednesday paper. We Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 1:30 p.m. Register via Feb. 12, 3-4 p.m. Register at mcgill.ca. macdonaldlaurier.ca. Feb.17, 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m. ET. For more can’t guarantee inclusion of every event, Eventbrite. SUNDAY, FEB. 14 Environment Minister Gives Remarks— information on the program, visit https:// but we will definitely do our best. Events AFN Leadership Gatherings—The As- Environment and Climate Change Minister chamber.ca/event/canada-360-summit/. To can be updated daily online, too. sembly of First Nations hosts the second in Hazel: A Celebration 100 Years In The will deliver remarks register, select the Attendee—CA $69.99 The Hill Times a series of leadership gatherings on “First Making—Hosted by Mayor on “Boosting global momentum towards a Nations Child and Family Services and Bonnie Crombie and the Mississauga Arts cleaner economy” to the Montreal Council Self-Determination,” which will take place Council, Mississauga’s arts community will on Foreign Relations. The bilingual discus- until April 13. This introductory presenta- come together in a colourful, diverse cele- sion will be held with Christiane Pelchat, tion will focus on the new Indigenous child bration featuring more than 160 performers president and CEO, Réseau Environnement. CLASSIFIEDS and family services legislation, An Act to celebrate former Mississauga mayor Ha- Tuesday, Feb. 16, 12-12:30 p.m. Register respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis zel McCallion on Sunday, Feb. 14, through by Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. at corim.qc.ca. Information and advertisement placement: 613-232-5952 children, youth and families (the Act). For a live streaming event on MAC’s Facebook Energy Affordability with Energy Industry more information, please email c92forum@ and on YouTube. Facebook:@missartcouncil Leaders—Organized by the Pearson Centre, CONDOS FOR RENT CONDOS FOR RENT afn.ca. Tuesday, Feb. 9. Registration avail- YouTube: Mississauga Arts Council. join Tim Egan, president and CEO of the Do you have a able online. MONDAY, FEB. 15 Canadian Gas Association; Kim Rudd, former MP and former natural resources house to rent or THURSDAY, FEB. 11 The Pandemic of Racism—A Facebook parliamentary secretary; Francis Bradley, Erin O’Toole Speaks to Vancouver live series exploring the sociological president and CEO of the Canadian Electric- sell? Items or Group—Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole impacts of racism. Join Senator Wanda ity Association; Bob Larocque, president will deliver remarks on “Building a Stronger Thomas Bernard (East Preston, N.S.) and and CEO of the Canadian Fuels Association; products to sell? Canada” in a webinar hosted by the Greater Senator Stanley Kutcher (Nova Scotia) on and Liberal MP James Maloney, chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade. Thursday, Feb. Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. ET/2 p.m. AT who will House Natural Resources Committee, on Advertise them 11, noon PST. The event is free for GVBOT talk about anti-Semitism and Islamophobia Feb. 16, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., for a live webinar. 4 BEDROOM NEWLY BUILT SOHO LISGAR – HEART OF in The Hill Times' members. Register at boardoftrade.com. racism. FAMILY HOME IN ROCKLAND DOWNTOWN OTTAWA’S WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 classfieds section. FRIDAY, FEB. 12 TUESDAY, FEB. 16 New 4 BDRM home in FINANCIAL DISTRICT Is The Environment The Big Loser From Rockland’s Morris Village. 45 Luxury 1 bdrm condo + balcony w/ The Resilience of Western Alienation Energy, the Environment, and Canada-U.S. COVID-19?—Green Party Leader Annamie min drive to downtown. Contact south-facing from the 14th floor. Walk FOR INFORMATION in a Transformative Era—McGill University Relations in the Biden Era—The Macdonald- Paul will deliver remarks in French on, [email protected]. to Parliament & Parliament Station, CALL OR EMAIL: hosts a webinar on “The Resilience of Laurier Institute hosts a webinar on among other topics, the future of the party L’Esplanade Laurier, World Exchange. Western Alienation in a Transformative “Building Across Borders: Energy, the and whether the environment has been Concierge services, pool, gym, + [email protected] Era.” Dr. Loleen Berdahl (Universities of Environment, and Canada-U.S. Relations forgotten during COVID-19 in an event many other amenities. $2,250/month 613-232-5952 Saskatchewan and Regina) considers the in the Biden Era,” exploring the challenges hosted by the Club Canadien de Toronto. includes underground parking, storage persistence of regional conflict in Canada and opportunities for Canada as it engages Wednesday, Feb. 17, 12-1:15 p.m. Regis- locker & hydro. 613-868-9866 http:// by examining western alienation—that is, on these issues with the new administra- ter at clubcanadien.ca. mastercraftstarwood.com/soho-lisgar

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